May 9, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Johansson (90) and Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (8) battle for position in front of goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood (39) in the second period of game three of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images” />
Aarif Deen
Goaltending has been a central storyline since Game 1 of the series, which featured 15 combined goals. After three games, all four goaltenders have seen action. Colorado Avalanche netminder Scott Wedgewood started his seventh consecutive postseason game but was pulled after allowing three goals on 12 shots. Mackenzie Blackwood, who hadn’t played since April 14, took over.
Now, Jared Bednar must choose his starter for Game 4. He has emphasized throughout the playoffs that he doesn’t have a designated starter and backup, but rather a tandem he trusts. The decision is complicated: Wedgewood’s early exit gives him rest for a potential Game 4 start, while Blackwood has a chance to shake off rust before a crucial game.
Bednar assessed Wedgewood’s performance: “Wedgie was playing hard. Maybe he looked a little too aggressive on a couple of those. On the penalty kill, he ends up without a stick, gets aggressive coming across, and they find the net. Next one, he gets a piece of Devon Toews, I think it’s a pass, and it ends up in the empty net. He’s out too far.”
On the goalie change, Bednar said: “From what I’ve seen of Blackwood recently, a rested guy we trust, I felt it was a good opportunity to get him in and see if it sparked our group. I hoped he could close the door. They had all the momentum early, and we needed to do something to fire up the guys.”
The move didn’t yield the desired result. The Avalanche, typically strong at 5-on-5, were outchanced 19-13 (6-5 in high-danger chances) and couldn’t score at even strength. Surprisingly, they didn’t concede a goal at 5-on-5 either; Minnesota’s goals came at 4-on-4, 4-on-3, 5-on-4, 6-on-5, and 5-on-6.
Fortunes changed quickly. Parker Kelly had the best scoring chance early, but Jesper Wallstedt robbed him. Shortly after, Kelly was penalized with Ryan Hartman, and Minnesota scored twice—once at 4-on-4 and once on a 4-on-3 power play. In the second period, the Wild made it 3-0 with Kelly serving a holding penalty. When Minnesota scored their fourth goal shortly after Colorado’s first, Kelly and the fourth line were on the ice.
This loss should serve as a wake-up call for Brock Nelson and Valeri Nichushkin. They’re looking for more consistency.
