ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Without Mikael Granlund's overtime goal, the Minnesota Wild would be in major trouble in this first-round series against Colorado.

After a rough rookie year for the young center from Finland, the Wild weren't sure they could count on Granlund this season for such important production. But his slick work with the stick deep in the Avalanche zone and the dramatic diving shot that followed are vivid examples of why he was drafted ninth overall by the Wild in 2010.

Concussion issues limited Granlund to 63 games, including the last six of the regular season, but he slid right back in to the second line for the playoffs and gave the Wild new life with his Game 3 winner.

Game 4 is set for tonight at 8:30 with the Avalanche up 2-1.

Wild's Matt Cooke gets 7-game suspension from NHL

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Cooke has been suspended for seven games by the NHL for a knee-to-knee hit that injured Colorado Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie.

Cooke was at the league office in New York on Wednesday for a hearing about the incident, and his punishment was announced about eight hours later.

The Avalanche lead 2-1 with Game 4 set for tonight, so Cooke will be out for the series and more. He played a key part in Game 3 for the Wild in quieting Avalanche stars Nathan MacKinnon, Paul Stastny and Gabe Landeskog. Cooke was given a minor penalty for clipping Barrie, who will need four to six weeks to recover from a medial collateral ligament injury to his left knee.

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