This Colorado Avalanche team has been historically great at even strength this season. The penalty kill was ranked No. 1 in the NHL.
The power play, for much of the season, was the in the three-headed social media meme. That is no longer the case, and it’s become a real problem for the Minnesota Wild.
Colorado is winning both sides of the special teams battle in its second-round 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs series, and it’s a big reason why the Avs will head to the Twin Cities with a 2-0 lead. The Avs have scored three times with the extra man against Minnesota, while the Wild’s excellent power play has yet to convert.
Colorado scored twice in a 5-2 win Tuesday night, and beyond the goals, it was consistently crisp and dangerous on five extra-man opportunities.
“Everything,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said when asked what he’s liked about the power play. “Itap much improved from the Olympic break on. I know people look at our percentage on the year, and when you go five months with it being poor, your percentage isn’t going to climb that much. It was 30 percent in March. We took a dip in April. It was pretty good against the Kings. We didn’t score a bunch of goals.
“Itap been dangerous more than not in this series as well and itap just showing that those guys are really dialed in. They’re moving it quick, they’re seeing their options, they’re making plays, they’re taking what the opposition gives us and we’re shooting to score. Itap a little bit of everything, but itap mostly buy-in, commitment, pace from the guys that are on the ice.”
A weakness becomes a strength
Colorado was atop the NHL standings for the final 148 days of the regular season, or 167 if we include the break for the 2026 Winter Olympics. When that break arrived in early February, the Avs were dead last in the league on the power play, converting just 15.2% of the time.
Given the talent available and the past history of success — the 2025 playoff series against Dallas excluded — it was a shocking development and the lone drag on an otherwise incredible campaign. The Avs hoped a fresh start after the break would help.
Adding Nazem Kadri just before the trade deadline has proven to be significant for the power play. The Avs have tried several different configurations throughout the season. Replacing Mikko Rantanen on the right flank has been a challenge.
There was a brief spurt early in the year where it clicked with Brock Nelson there, before another extended slump. The top unit has settled in now, when everyone is healthy — Cale Makar up top, Nathan MacKinnon and Kadri on the flanks with Martin Necas and Gabe Landeskog in the middle … at least when the Avs are set up in a traditional 1-3-1.
Thing is, the Avs aren’t standing around in that setup all the time. For much of the season, the puck would spend far more time on MacKinnon’s side of the ice, with him and Necas probing the defense, switching places and trying to find open passing lanes.
The puck is spending more time on the far side in these playoffs. Landeskog is leaving the middle of the ice and playing in a similar role to Necas on the other side, often giving a more box-formation look. And being able to attack from both sides is opening up lanes through the heart of the defense far more often.
Colorado is fourth in the playoffs in shots on goal per 60 minutes, expected goals for per 60, and second in scoring chances per 60, per .
“Yeah, (Kadri) has been great,” MacKinnon said. “We’re just trying to work both sides, try to give Minny different looks and L.A. different looks. Puck wasn’t going in against LA, but we were doing a good job creating. So I think for us, the process is just trying to stay good. It’s been a long year on the power play, but I feel like what we’re doing is sustainable. I feel like we’re generating a lot of chances, and they’re not just some lucky goals.
“Naz has really helped us out, obviously, when he first came and when he got hurt, trying to juggle it around again. But a super smart player. I think the five of us are really getting on the same page and trying to have great communication. I think it’s making us a little more comfortable.”
Minnesota’s power play was third in the NHL this season. While the Wild are missing a PP1 regular, center Joel Eriksson Ek, the trio of Quinn Hughes, Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy is among the best in the league.
The Wild had a great first power play in Game 2, but did not convert. The second one had little impact. While Nelson, Valeri Nichushkin and Artturi Lehkonen have all had successful stints on the Colorado power play at times, they are all huge parts of the penalty kill.
Colorado did allow two 4-on-6 goals to the Kings in desperation time, but the Avs have yielded just one 4-on-5 tally in six games to start this postseason.
“It makes a difference, for sure,” Landeskog said. “We have a lot of trust in our PK. Been doing it all year, stepping up big in these playoffs so far and coming up big kills at key moments. We feed off of it, no doubt. When the kill is done, you try to roll them over 5-on-5, and put some heat on their ‘D’ again and get in the offensive zone. It does impact the momentum of the game.
“They’ve been great, and we expect them to continue to be great.”
FOOTNOTE: Nelson on Wednesday for the Selke Trophy, which is awarded to the league’s best defensive forward. Montreal’s Nick Suzuki and Tampa Bay’s Anthony Cirelli are the other finalists. It is the first time the 34-year-old Nelson has been a finalist in his career. He and Nichushkin combined to one of the best two-way forward combos in the league this season.
