Scott Wedgewood delivered a stronger regular season than Mackenzie Blackwood but has struggled against the Minnesota Wild.
By Peter Baugh, Michael Russo and Joe Smith
Mackenzie Blackwood appears set to take the net for the Colorado Avalanche in Monday’s Game 4, replacing Scott Wedgewood, who had started the team’s first seven playoff games. During morning skate, Blackwood took shots at the net traditionally used by the starting goaltender and left the ice before Wedgewood.
Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar declined to confirm the change but fielded questions as though Blackwood would be the starter.
Wedgewood and Blackwood split regular-season duties and won the Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest goals in the league. Wedgewood held an edge in regular-season numbers, leading the NHL with a .921 save percentage, and is likely to appear on end-of-season All-Star ballots. He excelled in the first round against the Los Angeles Kings, posting a .950 save percentage over four games, but has managed an .861 save percentage through three games against the Wild this series.
“If you’re looking at Wedge’s track record, it’s been great for us,” Bednar said Monday morning. “But it’s not starter role all the time. He’s done a great job when he’s gone in the net and played for us. Some of them are small stretches, and some are a little larger. But I think for a guy that’s not used to going every night, with the mental stress of one or two playoff series, it can be beneficial to give him a break and kind of reset.”
Blackwood posted a .904 save percentage in 39 regular-season games. He relieved Wedgewood in the second period of Game 3 and stopped 12 of 13 shots.
“He’s looked sharp,” Bednar said. “I’ve really liked his practices and the time that he spent on the ice with goalie coach Jussi Parkkila. Like I said at the start of the playoffs, we’re probably going to need both guys. It’s how we ran all year. Mackenzie’s ready to play. He wants the net.”
“We’ve got good confidence in both of them,” Avalanche forward Jack Drury said Sunday. “It’s a luxury to have two good goalies, and they’ve both shown all year that they can make big saves and show up for us in big moments. It’s really nice for our team that, no matter who’s playing, we have full confidence in them. And we know we need to play harder in front of whoever it is for Game 4.”
Minnesota has also made goaltending changes in this series. Coach John Hynes started Jesper Wallstedt in Game 1, then switched to Filip Gustavsson after Wallstedt allowed eight goals. Hynes went back to Wallstedt for Game 3, and the rookie rewarded him with a strong performance.
Colorado could receive defensive reinforcements as well. Josh Manson, who has been sidelined since the Kings series with an upper-body injury, is available for Monday’s game, Bednar said. Manson is expected to replace Nick Blankenburg.
“You’re looking at a big, strong bottom-six in Minny that protects the puck really well,” Bednar said. “The size and physicality and the ability to close plays out and get you in and out of your zone a little quicker is, for me, the most beneficial thing he can bring for us.”
Bednar also noted that depth forward Joel Kiviranta (undisclosed injury) is an option for Game 4. Cale Makar missed morning skate due to maintenance, according to Bednar.
On the Wild side, the lineup is expected to remain unchanged, with top two-way center Joel Eriksson Ek still out with a lower-body injury.
