The Colorado Avalanche made a change in the net for the first time this postseason when they pulled Scott Wedgewood early in the second period of Game 3 of their second-round series after he allowed three goals to the Minnesota Wild. Wedgewood yielded to Mackenzie Blackwood as the Avalanche took their first loss of the playoffs in a 5-1 defeat.
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Here's what to doRejecting church and state separation is on the wish list for Trump's religious liberty commissionEsculturas de Leonora Carrington se presentan en laberintoSportsMinnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov celebrates with teammates after scoring during the first period of Game 3 of an NHL Stanley Cup hockey second-round playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche, Saturday, May 9, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov, second from right, celebrates with defenseman Quinn Hughes and left wing Matt Boldy after scoring during the first period of Game 3 of an NHL Stanley Cup hockey second-round playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche, Saturday, May 9, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn.
Colorado Avalanche goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood waits for play to resume during the third period of Game 3 of an NHL Stanley Cup hockey second-round playoff series against the Minnesota Wild, Saturday, May 9, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. Minnesota Wild right wing Ryan Hartman tries to gain control of the puck as Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brett Kulak and goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood defend during the third period of Game 3 of an NHL Stanley Cup hockey second-round playoff series Saturday, May 9, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn.
Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov celebrates with teammates after scoring during the first period of Game 3 of an NHL Stanley Cup hockey second-round playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche, Saturday, May 9, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov celebrates with teammates after scoring during the first period of Game 3 of an NHL Stanley Cup hockey second-round playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche, Saturday, May 9, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn.
Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov, second from right, celebrates with defenseman Quinn Hughes and left wing Matt Boldy after scoring during the first period of Game 3 of an NHL Stanley Cup hockey second-round playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche, Saturday, May 9, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov, second from right, celebrates with defenseman Quinn Hughes and left wing Matt Boldy after scoring during the first period of Game 3 of an NHL Stanley Cup hockey second-round playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche, Saturday, May 9, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn.
Colorado Avalanche goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood waits for play to resume during the third period of Game 3 of an NHL Stanley Cup hockey second-round playoff series against the Minnesota Wild, Saturday, May 9, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. Colorado Avalanche goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood waits for play to resume during the third period of Game 3 of an NHL Stanley Cup hockey second-round playoff series against the Minnesota Wild, Saturday, May 9, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn.
Minnesota Wild right wing Ryan Hartman tries to gain control of the puck as Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brett Kulak and goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood defend during the third period of Game 3 of an NHL Stanley Cup hockey second-round playoff series Saturday, May 9, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. Minnesota Wild right wing Ryan Hartman tries to gain control of the puck as Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brett Kulak and goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood defend during the third period of Game 3 of an NHL Stanley Cup hockey second-round playoff series Saturday, May 9, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn.
made a change in net for the first time this postseason, pulling Scott Wedgewood early in the second period of Game 3 of their second-round“I thought Wedgie was playing hard. I think maybe he looked a little like too aggressive on a couple of those,” coach Jared Bednar said.
“It just felt like they had all the momentum and the steam early in that game, and we needed to do something to kind of get our guys fired up and going, and I was hoping that would be part of it. Wedgewood made nine saves before yielding to Mackenzie Blackwood, whose last game action was on April 14.
With Wedgewood getting 43 starts and Blackwood making 36 starts, the Avalanche goalies shared the William M. Jennings Trophy given to the team with the best goals against average during the regular season.who took advantage of an early-season injury absence for Blackwood and wound up leading the league with a .921 save percentage and a 2.02 goals against average, entered Game 3 with a 6-0 record and a 2.12 goals against average with a .923 save percentage in the playoffs. Read More Kirill Kaprizov scored on a four-on-four situation after Colorado’s Parker Kelly and Minnesota’s Ryan Hartman took roughing penalties for their scuffle.
Then a hooking penalty on defenseman Devon Toews gave the Wild more than a minute of four-on-three play that Quinn Hughes capped with his slick toe-drag goal from the top of the slot, when he circled around the left wing before sliding into the wide-open middle. In the second period with the Wild on another power play after Kelly was called for holding Hughes, Hartman batted in an airborne shot to make it 3-0 and prompt Bednar to make the switch.
Blackwood, who played the whole first-round series for the Avalanche when they lost to the Dallas Stars in seven games last year, finished with 12 saves.
“We’ll have a decision to make, but there’s a decision to make every night. Some of them are easier than others,” Bednar said. After backstopping the Wild to a six-game win over the Stars in the first round this year, rookie Jesper Wallstedt was the natural pick to start this series against the Avalanche.
After the Wild lost the wacky opener 9-6 on Sunday, coach John Hynes went to Filip Gustavsson Gustavsson, who has been the team’s primary goalie for the last three seasons and made 49 starts during the regular season to Wallstedt’s 33, didn’t look sharp in the 5-2 loss on Tuesday. So the Wild went back to Wallstedt for Game 3 — with a favorable outcome. Wallstedt made 35 saves.
“I had no doubt he was going to be back — just kind of who he is,” Hynes said. “He’s a competitor. He’s got confidence. He’s been very solid, and I just thought he got right back to his game tonight.
He’s proven throughout the playoffs that the moments don’t get too big for him. ”Campbell is a sports reporter for The Associated Press, based in Minneapolis. He has covered all of the major teams in Minnesota as well as stories of national interest for the AP since 2000.
Jesper Wallstedt Mackenzie Blackwood Jared Bednar Colorado Avalanche Parker Kelly John Hynes Filip Gustavsson Ryan Hartman Quinn Hughes Minnesota Wild MN State Wire Stanley Cup CO State Wire Minnesota NHL Colorado Sports Kirill Kaprizov Stanley Cup Playoffs NHL Hockey Devon Toews
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