Colorado moved within one win of the Western Conference final with a 5-2 Game 4 victory in St. Paul, taking control of the second-round series 3-1.
Ross Colton snapped a 1-1 tie in the third period and Parker Kelly restored the lead at 3-2, capping lineup tweaks that also included Mackenzie Blackwood's first playoff start.
Blackwood finished with 19 saves after Minnesota scored early on a power play, while Colorado's pressure showed in a 17-4 shot edge midway through the second period.
Josh Manson drew a four-minute double minor in a first-period altercation with Michael McCarron, but the Avalanche absorbed the chaos and still pulled away late.
Game 5 shifts to Ball Arena on Wednesday, where Colorado can close out the series after improving to 7-1 this postseason.
Has the Avalanche's risky goaltending change secured their path to the Western Conference Final?
Can Minnesota's superstar acquisition spark a historic comeback against the Presidents' Trophy winners?