What happened
The Minnesota Wild defeated the Colorado Avalanche 4-1 in Game 3 of their Western Conference Second Round series on Sunday. After dropping two high-scoring games in Denver, Minnesota returned home to Xcel Energy Center and clamped down defensively, backed by a resurgent performance in goal.
Why it matters
The victory is a massive momentum swing for the Wild, who avoid a nearly insurmountable 3-0 series deficit. This win follows a Game 2 loss and confirms Jesper Wallstedt as the starter after a shaky start to the series.
The data edge
Series: COL leads 2-1. Game 3 Score: MIN 4, COL 1. MIN Goals: Kaprizov (2), Boldy (1). COL Goal: MacKinnon (1). Wallstedt (MIN): 32 saves, .970 SV%. Shots: COL 33, MIN 28.
What to watch
The series continues Tuesday night in St. Paul for a pivotal Game 4.