The Colorado Avalanche clinched a 5-2 win over the Minnesota Wild in Game 4 of their second-round series, bringing them within reach of the Western Conference finals. For the first time this postseason, the team tallied 32 hits, a shift from their regular-season average of 15.4 hits per game. Coach Jared Bednar credited the increase to playoff demands: "It’s what the game requires this time of year—buy-in, intensity, and physicality." In Games 1-3, Colorado averaged 25 hits per game; the 32 in Game 4 marked a deliberate ramp-up, prioritizing puck control with a 64% shot share and a plus-three hit differential over the Wild.

The Avalanche, a NHL regular-season powerhouse (top-five in shot-share since 2021-22, three consecutive Cup wins), struggled in physical play during the regular season. They ranked as low as 24th in hits per game (2021-22) and 31st this season. Postseasons since 2022 show a stark contrast: averaging 35.6 hits per game over the last four years—nearly double their regular-season average. Key additions like Ross Colton (2022 playoff top-10 in hits per game) and Brett Kulak (6-1, 192 lbs; three Stanley Cup Final appearances) provide size and physicality. The team’s core—MacKinnon, Makar, Landeskog—prioritizes puck possession but adapts physically when needed, as Bednar notes: "If you’re going to possess the puck, you’re going to have less hits than the other team."