Avs Pull Wedgewood, ‘Have a Decision to Make’ as Playoff Goaltending Crisis Looms

The Colorado Avalanche have spent the last two weeks looking unstoppable, a machine of speed and skill that steamrolled through the early rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But adversity, as it always does in the postseason, arrived with a thud on Saturday night. For the first time in this playoff run, the Avs lost. More troubling than the final score, however, was the sight of starting goaltender Scott Wedgewood being yanked from the net after just 24 minutes of play. The question now hanging over Ball Arena is a heavy one: Does head coach Jared Bednar have the stomach to make a change between the pipes, or will he ride the veteran who got them here?

The Avalanche entered Game 3 against the Minnesota Wild with a 2-0 series lead, looking to put a stranglehold on the matchup. Instead, they watched their netminder struggle. Wedgewood allowed three goals on just 12 shots, a .750 save percentage that is simply not sustainable in the playoffs. The hook came at 5:37 of the second period, with the Wild leading 3-0. It was a moment that shattered the illusion of stability in the crease. Now, Bednar and his staff are left with a genuine crisis of confidence.

The Wedgewood Gamble: A Streak Halted by Reality

Let’s be clear: Scott Wedgewood was not the sole reason the Avs lost. The team in front of him looked flat, uncharacteristically sloppy with the puck, and failed to generate sustained offensive pressure. But in the playoffs, goaltending is the great equalizer. When your goalie gives up a soft goal early, it deflates the bench. When he lets in a third on a sequence that should have been a routine stop, the coach has no choice but to pull the plug.

Wedgewood had been a revelation for Colorado since being acquired from the Dallas Stars. He posted a strong regular-season record and looked sharp in the first two games of this series, stopping 47 of 50 shots. But the playoffs are a game of adjustments. The Wild, a team with elite finishers like Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy, clearly identified a weakness: Wedgewood’s lateral movement and his tendency to leave rebounds in the slot. On Saturday, they exploited it mercilessly.

• Goal 1: A screened point shot that Wedgewood saw late, but should have absorbed cleanly.
• Goal 2: A quick cross-ice pass that beat him on the short side—a cardinal sin for any NHL goalie.
• Goal 3: A rebound that sat in the blue paint like a live grenade, tapped in by a Wild forward before Wedgewood could reset.

This is not a condemnation of Wedgewood’s character. He is a battler, a journeyman who earned the starting role by outplaying Alexandar Georgiev down the stretch. But the playoffs are a meritocracy. If you can’t stop the puck, you sit. The fact that this happened in a game where the Avs had a chance to take a stranglehold 3-0 series lead only amplifies the pressure on Bednar.

Who Is the Alternative? The Georgiev Question

If Wedgewood is out, the next man up is Alexandar Georgiev. This is a name that strikes fear into the hearts of Avalanche fans for all the wrong reasons. Georgiev was the starter for most of the regular season, but his performance was wildly inconsistent. He posted a pedestrian .897 save percentage and was often pulled from games after giving up three or four goals on limited shots. The Avs essentially benched him in favor of Wedgewood heading into the playoffs.

But here is the counter-argument: Georgiev has a track record of playoff success, albeit brief. He backstopped the New York Rangers to a few memorable wins before being traded to Colorado. He is technically sound, athletic, and—most importantly—he has a short memory. When he entered the game on Saturday in relief, he stopped all 14 shots he faced, giving the Avs a chance to mount a comeback (which ultimately fell short, 4-2).

The decision facing Bednar is not just about statistics; it is about psychology. Do you go back to a goalie who was just pulled, hoping he can rebound? Or do you hand the net to a goalie who was deemed not good enough to start the series? This is the definition of a high-stakes gamble.

Expert Analysis: From a tactical standpoint, Georgiev offers better rebound control and a more aggressive style that can disrupt the Wild’s cycle game. Wedgewood is more positional, relying on structure. The Wild have shown they can break that structure. If I am Bednar, I am leaning toward Georgiev for Game 4, simply to change the visual for the shooters. A new goalie, even a flawed one, brings a different look that can throw off a hot team.

Beyond the Crease: The Avalanche’s Structural Flaws

Let’s not let the skaters off the hook. The Avalanche’s loss was not entirely on Wedgewood. The team’s defensive structure was porous. The top line of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Gabriel Landeskog was held off the scoresheet at even strength. The power play, which had been lethal, went 0-for-3. The Avs committed costly turnovers in the neutral zone, handing the Wild transition chances that they cashed in on.

Key issues exposed in Game 3:

• Breakdowns in coverage: The Wild’s third goal came on a 2-on-1 rush where the Avs’ defenseman, Samuel Girard, was caught pinching. The backcheck was late.
• Lack of net-front presence: The Avs generated 30 shots, but most were from the perimeter. They failed to make life difficult for Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson.
• Special teams failure: The penalty kill allowed a goal, and the power play looked disjointed, passing up shooting lanes for extra passes.

If the Avalanche fix these issues, the goaltending decision becomes less critical. A well-structured defensive system can protect a struggling netminder. But if the skaters continue to leave their goalie exposed, it won’t matter who is in the crease. The Wild will feast.

Predictions: What Bednar Will Do (And What He Should Do)

Predicting Jared Bednar’s moves is a fool’s errand. He is a coach who values loyalty and earned opportunity. He gave Wedgewood the net for Game 1 and Game 2, and Wedgewood delivered. One bad period does not erase that. However, the playoffs are about momentum. The Wild now have it. The Avs are suddenly in a series, not a sweep.

My prediction: Bednar will start Alexandar Georgiev in Game 4. The reason is simple: he cannot afford to let the series get tied 2-2 with a goalie who just lost his confidence. Wedgewood looked rattled. His body language after the third goal was defeated. Georgiev, for all his flaws, is a competitor who has been waiting for this chance. He played well in relief. You strike while the iron is hot, even if that iron is tarnished.

What the Avs need to do to win Game 4:

• Score first: The Wild have not led in this series until Game 3. Colorado must assert dominance early.
• Support the goalie: Whether it is Wedgewood or Georgiev, the skaters must clear rebounds and block shots. No more 2-on-1s.
• Get physical: The Wild are a skilled team, but they are not a tough team. The Avs need to finish checks and wear down their defense.

The narrative around this series has shifted. The Avalanche are no longer the invincible juggernaut. They are a team with a very real question mark in the crease. The good news? They still have the best player in the world in Nathan MacKinnon, a deep blue line, and a coach who has won a Stanley Cup. The bad news? History is littered with teams that had great skaters but no goaltending. The 2023 Colorado Avalanche were eliminated in the first round largely because of shaky netminding. The franchise cannot afford a repeat.

Conclusion: The Clock Is Ticking on a Decision

The Colorado Avalanche are not in panic mode. Not yet. But they are in a crisis of confidence at the most important position on the ice. Pulling Scott Wedgewood was a necessary move on Saturday, but it opened a Pandora’s box of questions. Does Bednar trust him to bounce back? Is Georgiev truly ready for the pressure of a must-win game? Or will the Avs look outside the organization—a trade or a call-up—if this spiral continues?

For now, the answer is internal. The Avalanche have a decision to make, and they have about 48 hours to make it. The Wild are smelling blood. The crowd at Ball Arena will be restless. And the goaltender who steps onto the ice for Game 4 will carry the weight of an entire franchise on his shoulders. If he stops the puck, this becomes a footnote. If he falters, the Avs will be in a dogfight for their playoff lives.

Final verdict: Expect Georgiev to get the start. Expect the Avs to play their best defensive game of the series. And expect this series to go back to Minnesota tied 2-2, with all the pressure squarely on Colorado’s shoulders. The road to the Stanley Cup is paved with tough calls. This is the first one for Jared Bednar. Let’s see if he gets it right.

Source: Based on news from ESPN.