Nino Niederreiter, Minnesota Wild Eliminate The Colorado Avalanche

facebooktwitterreddit

Apr 30, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Minnesota Wild team members react to the win over the Colorado Avalanche in a overtime period in game seven of the first round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

A spectacular season came to an end Wednesday night as the Colorado Avalanche fell to the Minnesota Wild in Game 7. Wild forward Nino Niederreiter played spoiler as he would record the overtime time goal, advancing the Wild to the second-round to take on the Chicago Blackhawks.

It was a fantastic back-and-fourth affair at the Pepsi Center as the Avalanche got the party started. After a Nino Niederreiter hooking penalty, Colorado took advantage on a controversial goal in which Nick Holden was credited with. Avs winger Jamie McGinn would bump into goaltender Darcy Kuemper which looked like goaltender interference but it would count.

Wild captain Mikko Koivu answered back with a goal of his own from the left boards, going top shelf past Semyon Varlamov to even the score up at one apiece. Less than five minutes later, Jamie McGinn would capitalize, putting one in the back of the net for the 2-1 Avalanche lead.

In the second period, the Wild would respond. Forward Dany Heatley would collect his first goal of the 2014 playoffs on the assists from Mikael Granlund and Jonas Brodin, tying the score a two. We jump ahead to the third period where the Avalanche would take the lead just 2:55 into the period. Paul Stastny would go top shelf past Kuemper bringing the Pepsi Center on their feet, up 3-2.

Hero Nino Niederreiter would strike less than four minutes later as Semyon Varlamov looked shaky in net all game. Nino would tie the game up a three apiece as Kyle Brodziak and Dany Heatley picked up the helpers. Colorado would receive a boost from defenseman Erik Johnson later in the period, sniping one past Kuemper to pull the Avs head, 4-3. That goal would be short-lived however as Wild defeseman Jared Spurgeon shot one past the struggling Varlamov to tie it up at four, sending the game into overtime.

And the rest is history as Nino Niederreiter made the shot that would eliminate the Avalanche from the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs. What a season it was for the young Avs’ but they will be back better than ever next season. Also, good luck to the Minnesota Wild in the second-round against the Chicago Blackhawks.