To the Western Conference final they go. The Avalanche defeated the Minnesota Wild in dramatic fashion Wednesday night, ending the series in five games. In doing so, the Avalanche will take a much-needed two days off and await the winner of the series between the Vegas Golden Knights and Anaheim Ducks. But before we look ahead, we have to look back at how the Avalanche took down the Wild, one of the top teams in the NHL. Injuries and the top seed Key injuries for the Wild no doubt played a role in this series. They were at an immediate disadvantage without top center Joel Eriksson Ek and a very steady defenseman in Jonas Brodin. Would this series have looked different with those two playing? Absolutely, but the NHL playoffs are a war of attrition. Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek (14) passes while Dallas Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel (6) defends during the first period of Game 6 in the first round of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Thursday, April 30, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn.…