# @puckempire on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DXzejihEYLo
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/64971901-puckempire-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/ed5866dbf0.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-05-01T17:36:57.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Puck Empire 👑 (@puckempire) — https://gondola.cc/puckempire

## Caption

Avs FC, it's time for a double or nothing.. i'm taking Minnesota in 7.

Obviously, this counteracts my pre playoffs pick of the Avs winning the cup, but my bracket is always just what I think before Round 1. If I see things that change my opinion as the playoffs go along, I'll make that change after each round.

Minnesota REALLY impressed me in R1. I obviously already had them beating Dallas, but I did not expect it so convincingly. They SHUT DOWN Dallas at 5v5 all series long. Only 33% of Dallas' goals in the entire series were at even-strength. Crazy.

Minnesota's PP was a bit rough, but Dallas is an elite PP whereas the Avs have struggled abit on the PP this season, surprisingly for such an elite team.

I think the main thing for me is that Minnesota's stars EXCELLED against a top dog in Dallas, while Colorado's stars for the most part were a little underwhelming against a bad LA team that survived off of a simple trap system.

Minnesota's system isn't a trap, so I think we'll see more offense from guys like Mack, Necas, Nichushkin, etc — but they have multiple ELITE #1D's in Faber & Hughes who can shut you down offensively and then go and score at an elite pace on the other end. 

Don't get it twisted, the Avs still had their dawgs in R1. Makar looked the best he's looked all season, and Wedgewood still looks SCARY in net, but... the Wild might have that matched with Hughes/Faber on their blueline and the Wall of St. Paul in net. 

The Wild also have a crazy xGA/60 of 2.21 at 5v5 (3rd out of 16) in the playoffs. LA had a 2.98 (14th out of 16), and the Avs struggled to score on that.

Also one more underrated factor: the Wild play DEMANDING playoff hockey. In R1: M. Foligno had 33 hits. Trenin with 26. N. Foligno with 21. Johansson with 17. McCarron 16. JEEK 15. Hartman 12. KAPRIZOV with 11??? The Avs weren't slouches either, they had 4 guys with 10+, but their top hitter would've ranked 7th on Minny. 

Obviously, this could again blow up in my face. Maybe I should just stick to my pre-playoff bracket choice. And I do think whoever wins this series easily punches their ticket to the SCF. But something about Minnesota's R1 has me believing something is coming.

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