\u201cYeah, he had jump. He had jump all night,\u201d Avs captain Gabe Landeskog said. \u201cEven before the game, he was antsy and wanted the puck to drop. He\u2019s a gamer. He wants to be a big part of these games. He had some big jump tonight \u2014 on the forecheck, especially, and on the backcheck. He was making big plays all over the ice.\u201d<\/p>\n
When the Avalanche acquired Necas as the marquee piece of the Mikko Rantanen trade<\/a>, the organization had to believe there could be nights like this. Necas was a very productive player for the Carolina Hurricanes, but his playoff production \u2014 11 goals, 30 points in 59 postseason contests \u2014 left people wanting more.<\/p>\n Necas\u2019 world-class skill is obvious. The idea that he\u2019d find a new level playing next to Nathan MacKinnon, and away from Carolina\u2019s system, was a pretty easy bet to make.<\/p>\n He fulfilled that part quickly \u2014 career highs in goals (38) and points (100) in his first full season with Colorado. But would he be able to impact playoff games the same way? That was a tougher question to answer.<\/p>\n There were signs. He was Czechia\u2019s best player at the 2026 Winter Olympics<\/a>. He was a monster after the Olympic break \u2014 16 goals and 38 points in 26 games, or a 50-goal, 120-point pace.<\/p>\n Now he has nine points in eight playoff games, but it goes beyond the production. Necas is forechecking well. He\u2019s hitting guys. He\u2019s making sound defensive plays.<\/p>\n When the Avs were down 1-0 in Game 4<\/a>, he bullied an elite defenseman, Brock Faber, to win a puck battle and then quickly fed Nazem Kadri with a cross-ice pass to set up Colorado\u2019s first goal.<\/p>\n Hits are not the most illuminating stat \u2014 he wasn\u2019t even credited with one when planted Faber on the ice \u2014 but Necas has been credited with 29 in 15 playoff games in an Avs uniform. He\u2019s hit Quinn Hughes three times in this series, one of several Avs players who have made it a habit of putting No. 43 in their sights.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I think it comes naturally with the playoffs,\u201d Necas said. \u201cJust a battle for the puck. They got some good players. So do we. Both teams try to hit them and make it less fun for them.\u201d<\/p>\n That Jared Bednar even had Necas on the ice with Minnesota\u2019s net empty and his Avalanche team defending a one-goal lead speaks volumes about the trust he\u2019s earned from his coach.<\/p>\n And the Wild were buzzing with the extra skater on the ice, desperate for a chance to push Game 4 to overtime. Faber whistled a shot just high and wide, and the puck came to Matt Boldy in the left corner. He tried to get the puck out to the left point and Hughes, but Necas pounced.<\/p>\n![\"Center](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/TDP-L-AvsVsWildGame3-20260509-TH-46.jpg\")
Center Martin Necas (88) of the Colorado Avalanche fires on during the second period of Game 3 of the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minn. (Photo by Timothy Hurst\/The Denver Post)<\/p>\n