Playoff Liveblog: Wild Are So Close to Great... But Not

The Wild have been playing, especially in the second period, like they’re constantly on a power play—passing at will, shooting at the right time, but it’s all for naught. It’s thrilling, frustrating playoff hockey.

Minnesota has been spending so much time in Colorado’s zone, they should have their mail forwarded there. While the Avs’s five skaters have been trying desperately to handle the Wild’s assault, they’ve been ineffective at preventing shot after shot from just about Wild player. But Theodore is negating both Minnesota’s impressive shooting, and Colorado’s lackluster defense.

The man simply will not yield. He showed a possible chink when a shot from the blue line zoomed past him and found the net, but was called off for off sides. Otherwise, he’s been an impenetrable wall of goalie supremacy. Wild lead scorer Marian Gaborik is still goalless despite having a couple decent chances in this game. Let’s hope Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom has found some way to stay awake (maybe he keeps a copy of War and Peace or something in the net), because the Avs might actually come out with an offensive pulse in the third period.

Update: Backstrom ovbviously got cold while going untested for so long. The Avs just went up with two quick goals.

Update: Finally, the Wild blow one past Theodore with about 2 seconds left. Not much help in this game, but maybe it will be a psychological boost in game six. These are the games that frustrate fans more than anything else. Minnesota out played Colorado, they did almost everything right, but were beat soundly and repeatedly by one player. That’s all that takes in some games. Onto game six in Denver. The end.