Hurricanes sweep Flyers 3-2 in OT, advance to Eastern Conference finals

WILD 5, AVALANCHE 1

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Kirill Kaprizov scored first and assisted on the next two goals as Minnesota forced a goalie change and handed Colorado its first loss in this postseason with a victory in Game 3 of their second-round NHL playoff series.

Quinn Hughes followed Kaprizov’s four-on-four score late in the first period with a four-on-three goal less than two minutes later. Ryan Hartman batted in a deflected power-play shot with 4:23 elapsed in the second period to prompt an early departure for Avalanche goalie Scott Wedgewood, who was replaced by Mackenzie Blackwood.

Nathan MacKinnon got the Avalanche on the board on a power play later in the second period before Brock Faber answered just 20 seconds later by deflecting a puck past Blackwood.

Matt Boldy added an empty-net goal and Jesper Wallstedt made 34 saves in his return to the net for the Wild after a 9-6 loss in the unhinged series opener prompted a start for Filip Gustavsson in Game 2.

The Avalanche will take a 2-1 lead into Game 4 in Minnesota on Monday, before the teams return to Colorado for Game 5 on Wednesday.