Avalanche Turn to Mackenzie Blackwood as They Face Elimination in Game 4

The Colorado Avalanche are at a critical juncture in the Western Conference Final, turning to goalie Mackenzie Blackwood as they attempt to stave off elimination against the Vegas Golden Knights. Coach Jared Bednar announced the decision to replace Scott Wedgewood in net for Game 4 on Tuesday, hoping to spark a turnaround in the series.

After dropping the first two games in Denver, the Avalanche found themselves in a 3-0 series hole following a 5-3 loss at home on Sunday, a game where they squandered a lead. Blackwood, a second-round draft pick by the New Jersey Devils in 2015, will be making just his 11th career playoff appearance. The 29-year-old has a postseason record of 4-4-0, with a .888 save percentage and a 2.81 goals-against average.

In the second round, Blackwood played in three games, including one start, where he posted a 1-0 record against the Minnesota Wild with a .872 save percentage and a 3.20 goals-against average. Bednar emphasized that while the stakes are high, he doesn’t want to place undue pressure on Blackwood. “It’s not like we’re putting the weight of the series on Mackenzie, right?” Bednar said. “I think Mackenzie’s the type of guy and goalie that plays better when he’s loose and confident, and he’s been doing the work to make sure that he’s ready and prepared.”

Despite his experience, Blackwood has struggled against the Golden Knights, holding an 0-4-1 record in five career appearances, with an .877 save percentage and a 3.63 goals-against average. However, Bednar remains optimistic about the change, stating, “We’re at 0-3 in the series, so it’s not a desperation move, it’s just you’ve got to make a change and see if something else works for me.”

In a positive development for the Avalanche, Bednar confirmed that offensive star and assistant captain Nathan MacKinnon will play in Game 4. MacKinnon appeared to move well during the morning skate, just two days after sustaining a knee injury from a slap shot in Game 3. Bednar expressed confidence in the team’s mental state, noting a “nothing to lose” mindset that could benefit their performance.

“There’s a looseness around our team this morning, and hoping that can do us some good and free us up to go play to our identity tonight,” Bednar said. “I like the energy in our room, I like the vibe around the team. We had a good meeting yesterday, touched up on a few things this morning on video. I’m confident that we’ll be ready to come out (and) try to better our performance from the other night.”

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.