ST. PAUL, Minn. — Mackenzie Blackwood may have played himself into Colorado's next decision. The Avalanche's backup stopped 12 of 13 shots after replacing Scott Wedgewood on Saturday, but Colorado still lost 5-1 to the Minnesota Wild in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals.
Wedgewood, who had started every Avalanche game this postseason, was pulled early in the second period after giving up three goals on 12 shots in 24:23. Blackwood, who had not played since Colorado's 3-1 win over the Calgary Flames on April 14, handled the rest of the night over 32:27 and gave up only one goal.
Coach Jared Bednar said the Avalanche will have to sort out their starter for Game 4, and he sounded open to the change after Blackwood's outing. "I thought Blackwood was good," Bednar said. "So, yeah, we'll talk about it and make a decision."
The call carried added weight because Wedgewood had been one of Colorado's steady players all season. He went 31-6-6 in the regular season and led the NHL with a 2.02 goals-against average and a.921 save percentage, then opened every postseason game before Saturday. Blackwood, by contrast, arrived cold off the bench, but Bednar said he viewed him as a rested goalie he trusts and a possible spark for the group.
That is the tension now hanging over Colorado's series. The Avalanche entered Game 3 after winning their first postseason games before taking their first loss, and the switch in net did not change the result. Still, Blackwood's brief appearance gave Bednar a live alternative at the one position where the Avalanche can least afford hesitation, especially with Game 4 next on the schedule.
Blackwood said he was ready for the moment even without any certainty it would come. "You never know [when a goalie could come in]," he said. "I've seen games where they score on the first three shots of the game and then nothing the rest of the night. You never really know how it's going to go. You're just trying to be ready if you go, do the best you can, help your team and cheer on the other guy."
For now, Colorado has a simple question and a difficult one: whether to return to the goalie who carried it through the season, or to ride the one who finished Saturday looking steadier than the score around him.
