DENVER — Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar summed up his team’s remarkable comeback victory with one word after they overcame a three-goal deficit to win their playoff series on an overtime goal from a defenseman who hadn’t found the net since January while playing for a different organization.
“That one was,” the coach said, “something.”
Something, indeed.
The Avalanche punched their ticket to the Western Conference final for the eighth time since moving to Denver after Brett Kulak’s goal delivered a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild in Game 5. This marks only the second time in their last nine playoff runs that the Avalanche have progressed beyond the second round.
During their previous conference final appearance in 2022, the franchise claimed the Stanley Cup championship.
With Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar leading the charge, expectations remain Cup-or-bust for this organization. This season’s squad appears particularly equipped for a championship run, featuring captain Gabriel Landeskog back in action for a full regular season, impressive roster depth — 16 different players found the scoresheet during the Wild series — and exceptional performances from their star players.
Entering the season among championship contenders, they topped the NHL standings for most of the regular season while claiming their fourth Presidents’ Trophy, awarded to the team with the league’s best record.
Similar to Carolina, the Avalanche are gaining momentum heading into the conference finals. The Hurricanes reached this stage with back-to-back sweeps, while the Avalanche needed nine games, including a first-round sweep of the Los Angeles Kings. As of Thursday, Colorado holds slight favoritism over the Hurricanes for the Cup according to oddsmakers.
Colorado’s next opponent will be either Vegas or Anaheim. During the regular season, the Avalanche posted a 2-0-1 record against both the Golden Knights and the Ducks.
Bednar recognizes the elevated expectations that accompany his talented roster each season. He accepts that criticism comes with the territory.
“It’s hard to win,” Bednar said. “But I wouldn’t want it any other way. I don’t think our players would want it any other way.
“People are going to get on you because you didn’t win the Cup. I’d still rather be fighting for that, having earned that type of reputation because of the way you play through the regular season and the group that you put together as an organization and the high expectations, rather than, ‘Let’s just try and make the playoffs.’”
Little seems to shake the Avalanche’s composure these days. Even facing a three-goal deficit couldn’t rattle them, setting the stage for a dramatic finish and Kulak’s overtime heroics, as he converted a precise pass from Martin Necas into the net, sending the packed arena into celebration.
The goal marked Kulak’s first since Jan. 19 during his time with Pittsburgh, before his trade to Colorado the following month. The victory also represented the first time the Avalanche clinched a series at home since 2008, when they defeated the Wild in Game 6 of the conference quarterfinals.
“In an environment like this, where the building felt like it was going to start shaking at any moment, it was exciting,” said Landeskog, who played his first complete regular season since 2022 following recovery from a knee injury. “Now, it’s kind of a sigh of relief.”
The Avalanche have several days to recover. They played without forward Artturi Lehkonen and defenseman Sam Malinski during the final two games against the Wild due to upper-body injuries. Makar briefly exited Wednesday’s contest following a collision but returned to action.
“The playoffs are a long grind and you want to keep your focus narrow,” said Kulak, who reached the Stanley Cup Final with Edmonton last season. “We can get some rest.”
Colorado carries a 3-4 record in conference finals since relocating to the city before the 1995-96 season. However, each of their three previous advances resulted in championship banners — 1996, 2001 and 2022.
“They’re a really good team,” Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes said.
Colorado’s roster depth has proven to be a major asset. The 16 different goal scorers in the second round ties an NHL record for most in a single series, according to NHL Stats.
“The depth is what’s going to win, coming down the stretch here in the playoffs,” Landeskog said. “Guys are stepping up all over the place.”
That depth extends to goaltending, though a potential storyline may emerge regarding the position.
Scott Wedgewood entered during the second period after Mackenzie Blackwood allowed three first-period goals. Wedgewood turned away all seven shots he faced during the second and third periods (he faced none in overtime).
“Just proud,” Wedgewood said of reaching the conference final. “Proud of our group ending it and finding a way to do that because we knew going into the series, it wasn’t going to be an easy out. There’s a long road ahead, a lot of stories to write and just preparing for that.”
