The Minnesota Wild sealed their series against the Dallas Stars with a dominant win in Game 6. With that, the next barrier in their journey to the Stanley Cup will be the Colorado Avalanche, who have been dominating the playoffs up to this point.
Going into the opening game of Round 2, both the Wild and the Avalanche have a lot of momentum. On one hand, Minnesota has been in excellent form, winning back-to-back games to close off Round 1. But on the other hand, Colorado has won all of its playoff games against the Los Angeles Kings, sweeping the series.
The first game between them will be played on Sunday, May 3, at the Ball Arena. This means the Avalanche will have home ice advantage, which they can use to gain an early lead in the series. The pucks for the game will be dropped at 7 p.m. ET, and for those fans who want to watch it, here is a look at the channels that the game will air on:
- TV Channel: ABC, ESPN, or ESPN2
- Streaming Platforms: DIRECTV, Fubo, ESPN App, Hulu, and Max
- Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
The Avalanche had one of its best seasons yet earlier this year. The team ended not just at the top of the Central Division, but also first among all 32 NHL teams. In 82 games, they won 55 and finished with a solid record of 55-16-11, along with 121 points. They were untouchable in the overall standings, with the Carolina Hurricanes finishing second with 113 points.
On the other side, the Wild have had a successful season, qualifying for the playoffs as one of the top three finishers in the Central Division. Minnesota finished with a 46-24-12 record and a total of 104 points.
Quinn Hughes might be an important player for the Wild against the Avalanche
Quinn Hughes has been one of the Minnesota Wild’s most successful players till now in the 2026 NHL Playoffs. Hughes was able to completely take control of the momentum against the Dallas Stars, and he was untouchable in Game 6. Following the game, Wild head coach John Hynes praised Hughes, referring to him as the difference maker between the two teams.
According to the NHL’s official website, Hynes stated,
“‘Hughesy’ was at the top of his game tonight. He was a difference-maker in many different ways. Obviously, the way that he drove offense and was able to score, but I thought in general his competitive nature tonight — puck battles, defending, the way he skated and competed throughout the game on both sides of the puck, was high level.”
Hughes finished Game 6 with two goals and one assist for a total of three points. In all six games, he finished with two goals and six assists for a total of eight points, possibly his finest postseason showing to date.
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