Brett Kulak scores 3:52 into OT,
Avs advance to West final with 4-3 win over Wild
[May 14, 2026]
By PAT GRAHAM
DENVER (AP) — Brett Kulak’s first goal since January will certainly
be one to remember — for him, of course, and a building packed with
fans who witnessed, in dramatic fashion, the Avalanche end a series
at home for the first time in 18 years.
The Colorado defenseman scored 3:52 into overtime after Nathan
MacKinnon tied it late in regulation and the Avalanche advanced to
the Western Conference final with a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota
Wild in Game 5 on Wednesday night.
Kulak capped a wild comeback for the Avalanche, who trailed 3-0
midway through the second period. Colorado moves on to the
conference final for an eighth time since relocating to Denver in
1995-96.
“You always like to dream about it,” Kulak said. “The player I am,
I’m not the guy everyone’s looking down the bench, like, ‘All right,
get out there, go win it for us.’”
The Avalanche will face the Vegas-Anaheim winner. Vegas leads that
series 3-2.
With Minnesota up 3-1, Jack Drury scored with 3:33 remaining to set
the stage for MacKinnon’s goal with 1:23 left with the Colorado goal
empty. The star forward sent a shot from the left side past Jesper
Wallstedt and into a small space in the top left corner.
In overtime, Martin Necas took the puck, glided behind the net and
back out front, where he found an open Kulak. Without missing a
stride, Kulak lined it past Wallstedt.
Kulak was one of several late additions this season as he joined the
Avalanche on Feb. 24 as part of a deal that sent Samuel Girard to
Pittsburgh. Kulak became the 16th Avalanche player to score in the
Minnesota series.
He also was an unlikely OT hero. This was his first goal since Jan.
19 when he was with the Penguins, which also was his only goal of
the regular season.
“For us to play the way we did and get the job done, and just for
me, a special goal in my career, for sure,” said Kulak, who started
the season with Edmonton before being dealt to Pittsburgh in
December. “We just clawed back into it and got the job done.”
[to top of second column] |
Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt reacts after allowing the
winning goal on a shot by Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brett Kulak
in overtime of Game 5 of an NHL Stanley Cup hockey second-round
playoff series Wednesday, May 13, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David
Zalubowski)
It was a rare series-ending win at home for
Colorado, too. The last time the Avalanche won a series on home ice
was 2008 against the Wild, when the team had Hall of Famers Joe
Sakic and Peter Forsberg.
“That was fun,” MacKinnon said. “A lot of fun.”
Marcus Johansson scored 34 seconds into the game and Nick Foligno
added two goals to give the Wild a 3-0 after the first period. It
led Colorado to take out Mackenzie Blackwood after the first and
insert Scott Wedgewood, who made seven saves.
Late in the game, Cale Makar collided with Mats Zuccarello and was
grabbing his right arm. Makar went down the tunnel before returning
to the ice.
The Avalanche overcame a three-goal deficit to win a playoff game
for just the third time in 53 tries since moving to Denver. The Wild
had been 21-0 when leading a playoff game by at least three goals
before the elimination loss.
“Just anger and frustration,” Minnesota defenseman Brock Faber said.
“You work all year for one thing, and just feels like it closes like
that. It’s just done.”
Wallstedt stopped 30 shots for the Wild. Matt Boldy and Nico Sturm
each had two assists for a banged-up Wild team that was missing
center Joel Eriksson Ek and defenseman Jonas Brodin all series.
“When you go after something like this, there’s going to be two
sides of the coin,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “One is you’re going
to win, which is a great feeling. And when you lose, it’s an empty
feeling.”
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