Avalanche’s Parker Kelly drops truth bomb after scoring late Game 4 winner vs. Wild

Parker Kelly enjoyed a breakout regular season with the Colorado Avalanche in 2025-26, scoring 21 goals in 82 games — but he saved his biggest tally of the campaign for Monday night.

Kelly scored his first career Stanley Cup Playoff goal in the third period, breaking a 2-2 tie and helping the Avs beat the Minnesota Wild 5-2 in Game 4 of their Western Conference second-round series at Grand Casino Arena.

The 26-year-old took a pass from teammate Ross Colton at the top of the slot and wired one past goaltender Jesper Wallstedt with less than nine minutes remaining in regulation.

“You never know when your opportunity is going to come. Ross has been playing great, our bottom line’s been playing great. Everyone’s just been trying to do the right thing, and you just got to stay ready,” Kelly told reporters afterwards, per NHL.com’s Tracey Myers.

“It’s one shot. It’s one play you got to bear down on that’s probably going to come your way. So, it’s just about staying ready, and all these guys in here are ready. So, it was great goal by Ross to get us up.”

After scoring just once in Game 3 in the State of Hockey, the floodgates opened again for the Avs on Monday, although two of the goals were into an empty net. Still, Colorado now leads the best-of-seven series 3-1, and it’ll take a herculean effort for Minnesota to even bring this series back home.

The Avalanche will have three chances to advance to the Western Conference Final for the first time since 2022, beginning on Wednesday night at Ball Arena in Denver.

“I think it was a great all around game. Every line contributed, and [Mackenzie] Blackwood was great,” said forward Martin Necas, who recorded two assists in the triumph. “We knew this was going to be a good one. They had their push last game. We kind of came back today. We enjoy this one for the rest of night, but tomorrow’s a new day.”

After capturing the President’s Trophy in 2025-26, the Avalanche have lost just one game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It’s been a terrific run thus far, and they’re getting contributions from up and down the lineup.

They’ll look to silence the Wild and move into the West Final for the first time in four years on Wednesday.

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