LAS VEGAS (AP) 鈥� Colorado coach Jared Bednar announced Mackenzie Blackwood will replace Scott Wedgewood in net for Game 4 on Tuesday, as the Avalanche hope to stave off elimination in the Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Vegas won the first two games in Denver before taking a 3-0 series lead with Sunday鈥檚 at home.
Blackwood, a second-round draft pick by the New Jersey Devils in 2015, will appear in just his 11th career playoff game. The 29-year-old is 4-4-0 with a career .888 save percentage in the postseason with a 2.81 goals-against average.
Blackwood appeared in three games (one start) during the second round, going 1-0 against the Minnesota Wild with a .872 save percentage and a 3.20 goals-against average.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not like we鈥檙e putting the weight of the series on Mackenzie, right?鈥� Bednar said. 鈥淚 think Mackenzie鈥檚 the type of guy and goalie that plays better when he鈥檚 loose and confident, and he鈥檚 been doing the work to make sure that he鈥檚 ready and prepared.
鈥淲e鈥檙e at 0-3 in the series, so it鈥檚 not a desperation move, it鈥檚 just you鈥檝e got to make a change and see if something else works for me.鈥�
Blackwood is 0-4-1 in five career appearances against the Golden Knights, with an .877 save percentage and 3.63 goals-against average.
Also, Bednar said offensive star and assistant captain , as he appeared to move much better during morning skate, less than two days after taking a in Game 3.
Bednar said he felt the team鈥檚 mental state is in the right spot with a 鈥渘othing to lose鈥� mindset.
鈥淭here鈥檚 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,鈥� 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.
鈥淚鈥檓 confident that we鈥檒l be ready to come out (and) try to better our performance from the other night.鈥�
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