• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Theodore, Avalanche looking to oust Wild from playoffs

Apr 19, 2008 - 12:58 PM Minnesota at Colorado 10:00 pm EDT Western Conference quarterfinals Avalanche lead, 3-2

DENVER (Ticker) - Jose Theodore is the biggest reason that the Colorado Avalanche are one win away from the Western Conference semifinals.

The Avalanche look to finish off the Minnesota Wild when the teams get together for Game Six of their best-of-seven quarterfinal series Saturday.

The Avalanche were outshot by a 40-17 margin on Thursday in Game Five, but Theodore made 38 saves and lifted the club to a 3-2 triumph.

Wojtek Wolski and Paul Stastny scored goals 79 seconds apart early in the third period, but the Colorado players had little doubts over who was responsible for the win.

"He saved us today," Peter Forsberg said of Theodore. "In the second period, Minnesota was all over us. Theo kept us in. He played outstanding today. He got us the win. It's great to have a goalie like that and steal a win on the road."

"We were losing every battle - on the wall, in front of the net," Colorado defenseman Jordan Leopold added. "Theo stood on his head and got us a win."

Avalanche coach Joel Quenneville agreed with his players.

"It was all Jose," he said. "He was the only reason we had a chance going into the third period. Jose's the reason. He made a couple of huge saves out of nowhere."

Andrew Brunette also scored while Milan Hejduk and Forsberg each recorded two assists for Colorado.

Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Brian Rolston tallied Thursday for Minnesota, which had its all-time home playoff record fall to 4-9.

"It's our last life," Rolston said of Game Six. "We'll come out with the same kind of effort as we did (Thursday)."