DENVER — It was a heavyweight clash without heavyweight hockey.

The Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild, Stanley Cup contenders who are rarely easy to play against or break down, opened their titanic Western Conference semifinal playoff series by trading chances and goals like it was an All-Star Game. Except for the intensity, atmosphere and stakes.

The National Hockey League’s best team during the regular season, the Avalanche scored the first three goals, still managed to trail by one late in the second period, then scored five of the final six to beat the Wild 9-6 in Game 1 Sunday in Colorado.

It was unexpected and spectacularly entertaining for everyone except the goalies and coaches.

We hardly knew what to make of it. Except this best-of-seven actually may live up to the hype that began about the time the Wild traded for Quinn Hughes in December to announce themselves as a serious threat to the Avalanche.

But it was Colorado’s Norris Trophy defenceman, Cale Makar, who made the difference in Game 1 by returning from the medical room to score twice in his team’s four-goal third period.

“That’s Cale Makar doing Cale Makar things,” Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog said. “I wasn't that concerned; I know he's tough and he was going to be back at some point.”

After Minnesota missile Marcus Foligno launched Makar into orbit with a hit on the forecheck less than three minutes into the game, the player regarded as the best defenceman in hockey went straight to the bench, then the dressing room, and was not seen again until the second period.

The Wild saw too much of Makar in the third when he twice zipped shots past rookie goalie Jesper Wallstedt from the right-wing circle. 

“Just a weird game,” Makar said. “Coming from the last few games we played (in the first round against the Los Angeles Kings),........

© Sportsnet