Scott Wedgewood didn’t manage a shutout in his first 16 starts of the NHL season, despite posting a league-leading 12 wins in that stretch. Wedgewood, who has been as consistent a goalie as there’s been, blanked the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday in the second of a back-to-back for the Avalanche.
Colorado won 1-0 to earn its ninth straight win. It’s also the second shutout in as many games for the NHL’s best team.
Neither team was able to get on the scoreboard for more than half a game. The Blackhawks dominated the first, and the Avs returned the favor in the second.
The only goal came with just 1:39 remaining in the second period, and it was off a strong shift from the fourth line. The puck ended up on rookie Tristen Nielsen’s stick. He fired it on goal, and the rebound got to Cale Makar, who placed it perfectly off the post and in behind goalie Spencer Knight.
Makar’s ninth of the season was the only tally in this one. Unlike Saturday, the Avs didn’t add any empty netters. Wedgewood made 22 saves. Colorado was 0-for-3 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.
Negative: Sloppy Start
For the second consecutive day, the Avs had a terrible first period. Against the struggling Nashville Predators, Colorado was outshot 16-6 in the opening 20 minutes, but managed to score the only goal for either team before a couple of empty netters late in regulation.
On Sunday, Colorado managed just two shots in the first, and one of them was a clear from Nathan MacKinnon at center ice. They gave up 11 shots to the Blackhawks, which included a handful of high-danger opportunities that Wedgewood stopped.
They needed the two goalies to keep them in both games. This one was somehow a worse start than the one in Nashville.
Positive: Scott Wedgewood Matches Mackenzie Blackwood
The only reason why Colorado won in regulation on Saturday was because Blackwood, who had no room for error for 58 minutes, did not let in a goal in a one-goal game before the Avs sealed it.
Wedgewood needed to do the same thing, and he did. The Avs’ tandem goalie won his league-leading 13th of the season on Sunday. It’s his first shutout in 2025-26 and it comes one night after Blackwood did the same.
Just like his goalie mate, Wedgewood needed to be perfect The Avalanche didn’t create a cushion of goals in regulation to ease the pressure off of their goalie. He was exceptional in a one-sided first period, making 11 saves. In the second, he only saw one shot and stopped it. Colorado managed a goal on one of its 19 shots.
In the third, Wedgewood helped the Avs secure that one-goal lead with another 10 saves. He stopped Frank Nazar on the doorstep in the final minute and didn’t have a chance to relax until the final buzzer.
