Scott Wedgewood Allowed Six Goals in Game 1, Then Got Pulled Twice, and Nobody in the NHL Is Ready For How the Avalanche Are STILL Winning

Alright, fam, listen up! We're officially down to the final four in the Stanley Cup playoffs, and if you haven't been watching, you're missing out on some *wild* stuff. This ain't no casual pre-season scrimmage, we're talking full-blown, knock-down, drag-out Conference Finals action. In the West, it's the Colorado Avalanche squaring off against the Vegas Golden Knights, and over in the East, it's the Carolina Hurricanes battling the Montreal Canadiens. Seriously, who's gonna make it to the biggest stage? The intel coming in from Ryan S. Clark and Kristen Shilton has my head spinning, especially after seeing what's gone down with the Avs' goalies.

The Avalanche's Rollercoaster Ride to the West Finals

Let's just talk about Colorado for a second, because their journey to the Western Conference finals has been nothing short of bizarre, especially when you look at what's happening between the pipes. These guys absolutely dominated on their way here, taking down the Kings with a clean 4-0 sweep, and then dispatching the Wild in a 4-1 series. They've only lost *one game* this entire postseason, which is insane! But don't let that fool you. The goalie situation with Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood is a total head-scratcher, even with the team boasting the sixth-best save percentage in 5-on-5 play league-wide.

Wedgewood's Wildcard Performances Keep Everyone Guessing

Seriously, coach Jared Bednar has had to be pulling his hair out. Scott Wedgewood's save percentage overall is a solid .914, but his performances against Minnesota? Man, oh man. Game 1, he let six goals past him. SIX! Then, in Game 2, he bounces back, stopping 29 of the 31 shots he faced. You think, okay, he's found his rhythm, right? Nope. Game 3 rolls around, and he lets in three goals on just nine shots before Blackwood has to come in, and that ultimately became the Avs' first loss this postseason. Then Blackwood starts Game 4 for the win, but in Game 5, *he* opens by giving up three goals on 13 shots in the first period and Wedgewood is back in to close it out! Despite all that chaos, with goalies switching mid-game and giving up softies, the Avs still got it done. Their goalie confidence rating is a 7.5 out of 10, which honestly feels generous given the drama. How are they doing this?!

What's Next for the Conference Finals?

This Wednesday, the Avalanche and Golden Knights kick things off in the West, and the Hurricanes and Canadiens get started in the East. With the Avs' strange goalie situation, every shot feels like it could be the game-changer. It's hard to bet against a team that's only lost once, even if their netminding is an absolute mystery box. You know I'll be glued to the screen, watching every single save and every single puck drop. These next few games are going to tell us everything. Let's go, hockey!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.