The Colorado Avalanche made their first goaltending change of the postseason during Game 3 of their second-round series against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night, pulling starter Scott Wedgewood early in the second period after he allowed three goals.
Wedgewood stopped just 10 shots before giving way to Mackenzie Blackwood, who hadn't seen game action since April 14. The move came after the Wild built a 3-0 lead, capitalizing on defensive breakdowns and penalties that put the Avalanche in an early hole.
It was a surprising turn for Wedgewood, who had been nearly unbeatable heading into the game. A career backup who seized his opportunity when Blackwood missed time early in the season, Wedgewood led the league with a .921 save percentage and a 2.02 goals-against average during the regular season. He entered Game 3 with a perfect 6-0 playoff record, posting a 2.12 GAA and a .923 save percentage.
But the magic didn't carry over. Minnesota's Kirill Kaprizov opened the scoring during a four-on-four situation after a scuffle between Colorado's Parker Kelly and Minnesota's Ryan Hartman. A hooking penalty on defenseman Devon Toews gave the Wild a lengthy four-on-three advantage, and Quinn Hughes made them pay with a goal from the top of the slot.
Early in the second period, with the Wild on another power play after Kelly was called for holding, Hartman batted in an airborne shot to make it 3-0. That was enough for Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar, who turned to Blackwood to stop the bleeding.
Blackwood has experience in high-pressure situations—he started the entire first-round series for Colorado last season, though the Avalanche fell to the Dallas Stars in seven games. For the regular season, Wedgewood made 43 starts and Blackwood made 36, with the duo sharing the William M. Jennings Trophy as the team with the best goals-against average in the NHL.
On the other side of the ice, the Wild have had their own goaltending drama. Rookie Jesper Wallstedt backstopped Minnesota past the Stars in six games in the first round, earning the start for Game 1 of this series. After a wild 9-6 victory, head coach John Hynes turned to Filip Gustavsson for Game 2.
Gustavsson, who has been Minnesota's primary netminder for the last three seasons with 49 starts during the regular season, got the nod for Game 3 as well. The Avalanche, meanwhile, will hope the switch to Blackwood provides the spark they need to get back in the series.