Minnesota faced a three games to one series deficit in this set, but has responded with consecutive 3-2 victories, including Monday night's overtime triumph at a raucous Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Richard Park scored his second goal of the night 4:22 into the extra session, sending an overflow home crowd into pandemonium.
Marian Gaborik also tallied for the Wild, while Manny Fernandez came through with 22 saves in his second straight start. With a win tonight, Minnesota would become just the 17th team -- eighth on the road -- in league history to take a set after falling behind 3-1.
"We've accomplished something so far, and we don't want to let up," said Gaborik, who leads the team with three playoff goals. "We want to go back strong and try to play the best game we've ever played."
The Wild actually appeared on their way to a comfortable triumph Monday, but the high-powered Avalanche utilized late goals from Joe Sakic and Greg de Vries to knot the match. De Vries' tally with 1:32 to go in regulation forced OT.
Playing in a seventh game is nothing new for the Avs, as they took part in three last spring -- losing the last against Detroit in the conference finals -- and will play in their fifth straight deciding tilt. Since moving from Quebec in 1995, the team is 4-4 in Game 7s, including a 4-1 mark the past two seasons. Colorado is 4-1 in seventh games played in Denver, with the lone loss coming to Edmonton in the 1998 opening round.
"It's do or die," said goaltender Patrick Roy, who made 20 saves Monday. "We're going to have to win this game. We're in our barn and there's no reason for us not to be confident."
Tonight will mark Roy's 13th Game 7, moving him past Glenn Anderson for first place on the NHL's all-time list. He is 6-6 in such contests during his storied career, although he will try to get back on the winning track. Roy allowed six goals in his last Game 7, that humiliating 7-0 defeat to the Red Wings in 2002.
The Avalanche have gone a meager 2-6 in their last eight possible series- clinching games, including four straight defeats. Last first round against Los Angeles they were ahead 3-1 as well, but needed to go seven games to win the set.
Colorado, which has made it past the first round every year since 1998, would like to see more from its top line of Peter Forsberg, Milan Hejduk and Alex Tanguay. The trio, which carried the team down the stretch, has not provided a goal in the past three games.
The team scoring first has won each game of this series, and that is especially key for the Wild. Minny was 21-0-1 when ahead after one period during the regular season, and 30-0-1 when up after two.
The winner of tonight's game will face the victor of this evening's other West Game 7, either Vancouver and St. Louis.
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Marian Gaborik also tallied for the Wild, while Manny Fernandez came through with 22 saves in his second straight start. With a win tonight, Minnesota would become just the 17th team -- eighth on the road -- in league history to take a set after falling behind 3-1.
"We've accomplished something so far, and we don't want to let up," said Gaborik, who leads the team with three playoff goals. "We want to go back strong and try to play the best game we've ever played."
The Wild actually appeared on their way to a comfortable triumph Monday, but the high-powered Avalanche utilized late goals from Joe Sakic and Greg de Vries to knot the match. De Vries' tally with 1:32 to go in regulation forced OT.
Playing in a seventh game is nothing new for the Avs, as they took part in three last spring -- losing the last against Detroit in the conference finals -- and will play in their fifth straight deciding tilt. Since moving from Quebec in 1995, the team is 4-4 in Game 7s, including a 4-1 mark the past two seasons. Colorado is 4-1 in seventh games played in Denver, with the lone loss coming to Edmonton in the 1998 opening round.
"It's do or die," said goaltender Patrick Roy, who made 20 saves Monday. "We're going to have to win this game. We're in our barn and there's no reason for us not to be confident."
Tonight will mark Roy's 13th Game 7, moving him past Glenn Anderson for first place on the NHL's all-time list. He is 6-6 in such contests during his storied career, although he will try to get back on the winning track. Roy allowed six goals in his last Game 7, that humiliating 7-0 defeat to the Red Wings in 2002.
The Avalanche have gone a meager 2-6 in their last eight possible series- clinching games, including four straight defeats. Last first round against Los Angeles they were ahead 3-1 as well, but needed to go seven games to win the set.
Colorado, which has made it past the first round every year since 1998, would like to see more from its top line of Peter Forsberg, Milan Hejduk and Alex Tanguay. The trio, which carried the team down the stretch, has not provided a goal in the past three games.
The team scoring first has won each game of this series, and that is especially key for the Wild. Minny was 21-0-1 when ahead after one period during the regular season, and 30-0-1 when up after two.
The winner of tonight's game will face the victor of this evening's other West Game 7, either Vancouver and St. Louis.
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