Roles flipped as Avalanche assumes part of underdog

By Jim Benton, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published April 9, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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In Minnesota's franchise-first playoff appearance in 2003, the Wild upset the top-seeded Avalanche. It was Andrew Brunette who scored the winning goal in overtime of Game 7 at the Pepsi Center.

Brunette now plays for the Avalanche, but that's not the only change when the teams begin their Western Conference first-round series tonight.

The roles are reversed after Minnesota won the Northwest Division and comes in as the Western Conference's No. 3 seed and favored against No. 6 Colorado.

The Wild still uses a trapping defensive style, which stymies and frustrates teams, but the makeup of the team is different.

Minnesota has become a more physical club with the addition of Todd Fedoruk, Chris Simon and Derek Boogaard.

The Wild also improved its skill at the center position to become a more complete team.

Still, coach Jacques Lemaire, who captured the Stanley Cup as New Jersey Devils coach in 1995, was so irked when the Wild lost five consecutive games in early March that he accused his players of cheating on themselves and teammates.

The Wild responded by going 7-2-2 to secure the division title.

"(Lemaire) was sick and tired of getting pushed around," CBC Hockey Night in Canada analyst Don Cherry said. "Fedoruk and Simon and the Boogeyman, he's not going to be able to play them all, that's for sure, but nobody is going to push him around."

The Wild will play an Avalanche team that, because of injuries, was forced to convert from a high-scoring offensive team into a physical, defensive- oriented team that went 5-0-1 down the stretch.

Still, the Avalanche is loaded with players with offensive skills.

"Don is right about the physical nature that Minnesota has, especially now going up against a Colorado team and they have all sort of disturbers like Cody (McLeod) and Cody (McCormick) and (Ian) Laperriere," TSN and NBC commentator Pierre McGuire said. "But the thing in this series to me, you've got the veteran skill on Colorado. Everybody knows about it, it's proven. (Peter) Forsberg, (Joe) Sakic, (Paul) Stastny now as a younger player has proven he can do it back-to-back years, and Ryan Smyth, who's the ultimate playoff performer."

It means more responsibility will go to Wild defenseman Brent Burns, who established career highs in six categories this season, center Mikko Koivu and Pierre-Marc Bouchard, the team's second-leading scorer who had a career-best 63 points.

"Three young guys have to step up for Minnesota," Mc- Guire said. "Burns has to continue what he did this year. Mikko Koivu is going to have to play a gigantic role in this series. He is special in a checking nature. But the biggest one is Pierre- Marc Bouchard. Those three young guys from Minnesota have to be special."

Three stars

The Minnesota Wild will rely on these top performers in its playoff series against the Avalanche.

* Marian Gaborik, right wing: One of the best skaters in the NHL when healthy enjoyed his best regular season with 42 goals and 83 points.

* Niklas Backstrom, goalie: Gained additional confidence in second NHL season and had a franchise-record 33 victories and 1,498 saves.

* Brian Rolston, center: Scored 31 goals, his third consecutive season with 30 or more.

Season series

* At Colorado Date Score Goaltenders W/T goal

Oct. 28, 2007 Avalanche 3, Wild 1 Budaj/Harding Svatos

Nov. 11, 2007 Avalanche 4, Wild 2 Budaj/Backstrom Stastny

Jan. 24, 2008 Wild 3, Avalanche 2 Backstrom/Theodore Demitra

April 6, 2008 Avalanche 4, Wild 3** Theodore/Harding Wolski

* At Minnesota Date Score Goaltenders W/T goal