ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Nathan MacKinnon and his equally skilled Colorado linemates Gabe Landeskog and Paul Stastny were too fast for Minnesota in the first two games. In losing twice to the Avalanche, the Wild found themselves flat-footed at the wrong times and letting their young, potent opponent dictate the pace and flow. So how to change the direction of the series? Going home is a good place to start. After MacKinnon, Landeskog and Stastny combined for four goals and six assists Saturday in Game 2, the Wild will now have the benefit of the last change in Game 3. That means coach Mike Yeo can match Matt Cooke, Erik Haula and Nino Niederreiter with the MacKinnon express, a mix of grit and speed that could help the Wild stem the tide a bit. "Im a third-line player for a reason and I feel like thats the best way Im able to contribute," Cooke said Sunday. He added: "Obviously I want that matchup." Here are five more things to know about the series as it shifts Monday for Game 3: WHOS IN WILD NET?: The Wild survived injury and illness involving their top three goalies this season, surging into the playoffs behind fourth option Ilya Bryzgalov. But Bryzgalov was pulled from Game 2 in the second period. Darcy Kuemper entered and stopped all 14 shots he faced. Asked after practice Sunday who will get the assignment, Yeo was glib. "Yes, we will," the coach said, smiling. Bryzgalov has plenty of past post-season experience with Philadelphia, Phoenix and Anaheim, but that includes plenty of goals given up, too. "If that were what we were choose to do it would be because, first off, he made some big saves in the game. I dont think we should forget about that. We werent playing our game in front of him. And this is a guy whos played a lot of good hockey for us," Yeo said. Kuempers performances in January and February are another reason the Wild were able to make it this far. He slumped a bit in late March and then suffered a concussion. Kuemper said he knocked the rust off in practice last week and felt in full rhythm Saturday in his first action in three weeks. "If I do get the start Im really excited. Its a big game for the team, and Im going to do my part and Im sure everyone else is going to do their part," he said. VARLY MEANS VICTORY: Semyon Varlamov led the NHL this season with a whopping 41 victories, but the Avalanche won Game 1 without a strong showing by their goalie. Varlamov was much better in Game 2. "We were a little nervous in the first game. Some of us never played in the playoffs. It was pretty tough to start. When youre nervous you sometimes try to do different things," Varlamov said. Coach Patrick Roy didnt need the relief, though. "A lot of people thought a lot about the first game but, hey, he played well enough to win," Roy said. "I had no doubt in my mind he was going to play a really solid game. He was sharp. He made the key save. I have so much confidence in him and faith in him." BACK HOME: The Wild finished 26-10-5 at Xcel Energy Center this season, the seventh-best record in the league. For fans who havent celebrated a series victory by this team since 2003, anticipation for this first home game will be high. The shift in vocal support from one side to the other always has the potential to impact a playoff series. "You can feel it, just the atmosphere, when you walk into that rink," Yeo said. OLD PALS: MacKinnon, like many NHL stars, spent two years at Minnesota prep school Shattuck St. Marys, which is in Faribault about 50 miles south of St. Paul. MacKinnon said several of his friends from those days will be coming to the game. THE MATH: Teams that win the first two games in a best-of-seven Stanley Cup playoffs series have an all-time series record of 287-45, a winning percentage of .864. That doesnt bode well for the Wild, but the Avalanche would of course be unwise to rely on the law of averages to advance them to the next round. "We just want to remain focused," Roy said. "Cant make a conclusion after only two wins. Now all weve earned is a chance to win Game 3 tomorrow." Air Jordan Outlet . The Asheville, N.C. native, who signed as a free agent with the CFL club last May, didnt see any action with Edmonton this season after opening the year on the injured list. Cheap Jordan From China . Spezza scored a power-play goal with 5 minutes left and Stephane Da Costa had the other two goals to lead the Ottawa Senators to a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night. https://www.wholesalejordanshoeschina.com/ . They signed their first kicker. Ottawa inked Nick Setta, a 32-year-old native of Lockport, Illinois, to a contract. Cheap Air Jordan Online . - Leon Draisaitl scored a hat trick as the Prince Albert Raiders stormed past the Swift Current Broncos 5-2 in Western Hockey League action Tuesday. Cheap Jordan .Pete Morelli said the back judge threw a flag on Cowboys linebacker Anthony Hitchens on a pass to Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew in Dallas 24-20 wild-card win Sunday. But the head linesman said there wasnt enough contact and that Hitchens was face-guarding, which isnt a penalty in the NFL. Winnipeg Jets 4 San Jose Sharks 3 (Jets 33-32-9, 16-17-3 road) – The win was the second for the Jets against San Jose this season, and evened the Jets record to 1-1 on the five game road trip. The game started a stretch of four games in six nights for the Jets. The Jets did not gain any ground on Phoenix, as the Coyotes beat New Jersey in a shootout to pick up five-of-six points on their three game road trip. It was the Jets 42nd one-goal game of the year; they have won 19 of them. Jets were again minus Ondrej Pavelec and Zach Bogosian due to injury, while Devin Setoguchi was not in the lineup – coachs decision. Pavelec practiced with the team Wednesday, Bogosian did not.? Mark Stuart was shaken up late in the San Jose game and only returned for one shift. Jets are in LA Saturday. (TSN 1290) Dan Boyle opened the scoring 1:57 in, only to have Andrew Ladd tie the game 36 seconds later with his 22nd of the year. Micheal Frolik and Bryan Little drew assists, Little extending his point streak to four. For Ladd it was his fifth goal in the last seven games and eighth in the last 12 games. Brent Burns on a power play at 14:27 sent the Sharks to the dressing room with a 2-1 lead. Shots were 11-10 San Jose. Blake Wheeler with his 25th of the year at 1:55 of the second tied the game. The goal was unassisted.? Wheeler then set up Dustin Byfuglien for his 20th of the year to give the Jets their first lead. It was Byfugliens eighth power play goal of the year. He has now tied his career high for goals, points and power play goals. Byfuglien has 24 points on the Jets 37 power play goals. It was his seventh goal in the last nine games. Frolik picked up his second point of the game with an assist on the goal. Shots in the second were 10-9 San Jose with the Jets up 3-2. For the second straight game the Jets surrendered two ppower play goals against, as Logan Couture pulled the Sharks even at 11:23.dddddddddddd The Sharks then got themselves in penalty trouble as while killing a penalty, Couture put a clearing attempt over the glass and for 10 seconds the Jets had a 5-on-3. The Sharks killed that off but with a one-man advantage Wheeler set up Toby Enstrom for the game winner at 16:24. Little also drew an assist, giving him 10 points in the last 10 games, and 25 points in his last 28 games. The three point night gives Wheeler 11 points in the last seven games and 31 points in the last 30 games. He has 62 points on the season, two shy of his career high. It was his third three point game of the season. Enstroms goal was his ninth of the year, one shy of his career high. Enstrom is now 2-7-9 in his last 7 games. It was his third power play goal of the year and only the Jets 12th power play road goal of the year with three so far on this road trip. Shots in the third were 12-9 Jets and 31-30 Jets on the game, as Al Montoya in his sixth straight start, picked up his 13th win of the season. Jacob Trouba again led the team in ice time, as he played 24:53. Andrew Ladd had seven shots on goal, one shy of his single-game career high. Trouba had six shots on goal. Jim Slater was 75% in the face off department, winning six-of-eight. Paul Maurice was very impressed with his top players, especially Wheeler. “He just keeps getting stronger and more powerful. He does so much for our team.” On Ladds goal that tied the game early in the first: “it was big, settled our bench down.” On the win: “Its the first time weve talked about the playoff race. Its a huge hill to climb, but we cant look at that as the reason we played hard. We have to play hard for faith and confidence in the room.” ' ' '
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