Mackenzie Blackwood Is Giving His Critics Another Reason to Eat Crow

DENVER — The crow-eating continues.

After Mackenzie Blackwood's disastrous start against the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 10, I had my doubts about whether he could be the reliable starting goaltender the Colorado Avalanche needed. Two games later, I'm starting to think Jared Bednar knew something I didn't.

Blackwood followed up back-to-back wins over the Dallas Stars and Pittsburgh Penguins with 53 saves and just four goals allowed, giving Avalanche fans another reason to believe in their goaltender — and critics like me another reason to eat our words.

Bednar has consistently insisted there's another level to Blackwood's game, a side of him Avalanche fans haven't fully seen yet. Not everyone was convinced, myself included.

But following Wednesday night's convincing 5-2 victory over Pittsburgh, it's becoming increasingly difficult to dismiss what Blackwood has done over the past two games.

His .890 save percentage on the season still reflects the damage from Toronto, but over his last two starts, he's gone 2-0 with a .929 save percentage. More importantly, he's making the kind of saves that can erase defensive mistakes and change the outcome of a game.

That's exactly what you want from your starting goaltender.

Against Pittsburgh, Blackwood offered another reminder of what he's capable of when things break down in front of him.

Early in the game, Noah Juulsen lost track of Evgeni Malkin, who wrapped around the net and tried to finish with a slick backhand. Blackwood tracked the play and snatched the puck with his glove.

We saw something similar Tuesday night in Dallas, where Blackwood helped Colorado escape American Airlines Center with a 3-2 victory over the Stars.

Sam Malinski, who's had his share of questionable moments this season, went for a Sunday drive with the puck and got careless, essentially handing Sam Steel a breakaway. Blackwood shut the door with a beautiful glove save.

Last season, that felt like the kind of chance that could easily end up in the back of the net. Instead, Blackwood erased the mistake and gave Colorado a chance to hold on for the win. He may even have saved Malinski from another uncomfortable conversation with the coaching staff.

These are the kinds of saves that can get lost in the shuffle, but they make a tremendous difference over the course of a season. The Avalanche aren't going to play a perfect defensive game every night. Turnovers will happen, coverage will break down, and players will make mistakes.

The question is whether their goaltender can keep those mistakes from becoming game-changing disasters.

Over the past two games, Blackwood has increasingly looked like someone who can.

The Penguins did manage to beat Blackwood twice, but it's difficult to pin either goal on the goaltender.

On Malkin's goal, the Pittsburgh forward drove into the zone, forced Fedor Svechkov off his mark, and bought himself enough time to unleash a wrist shot. Malinski was tied up in front of the net, screening Blackwood and limiting his ability to track the puck.

The other goal was even less forgiving.

Josh Manson lost his balance and went down as Pittsburgh transitioned into the offensive zone. That left the Penguins with a two-on-one, and Sidney Crosby fed Bryan Rust at the doorstep. Blackwood had virtually no chance of recovering in time to make the save.

Last season, defensive breakdowns like these often seemed to snowball into rough nights for Blackwood. Some of that was undoubtedly tied to his health. He underwent offseason surgery to repair a lower-body injury and suffered another injury shortly after Christmas.

Now, we're beginning to see a different version of Blackwood. He's making the saves he's supposed to make while coming up with spectacular stops that can change the complexion of a game.

That's the difference between simply keeping your team competitive and giving it a legitimate chance to win.

I'll admit it: after the loss to Toronto, I was too quick to pile on.

From a statistical standpoint, Blackwood's performance was ugly. He surrendered five goals on 22 shots, including three goals on four shots in the first period. That's not the kind of start that inspires confidence when you're trying to establish yourself as the starting goaltender for a Stanley Cup contender.

But the numbers didn't tell the entire story. Colorado's defensive lapses during those crucial moments were just as concerning, and it's unfair to evaluate a goaltender without considering the circumstances in front of him.

Bednar defended Blackwood after the game, absolving him of much of the blame. Blackwood himself, however, wasn't interested in making excuses.

Speaking with Avalanche beat reporter Colleen Flynn, he acknowledged that Toronto generated dangerous chances but admitted he could have done a better job reading the plays and recognizing where opposing players were positioned on the back side.

That response deserves credit, too. Blackwood recognized he could have been better without allowing one bad outing to define him.

Since then, he's responded with two wins, four goals allowed, and 53 saves. The early-season sample remains small, and two strong starts don't erase every concern about consistency. But they do provide a reason to reconsider the initial verdict.

Blackwood isn't simply benefiting from Colorado's offense outscoring its problems. He's actively helping the Avalanche overcome them.

Now comes the opportunity to turn a promising stretch into something more meaningful.

Colorado's upcoming road trip includes a Monday matchup in Philadelphia and a potential return to New Jersey, where Blackwood previously played. A strong performance against his former team would add another compelling chapter to his early-season turnaround.

The Avalanche need Blackwood to be more than a capable option in net. They need a reliable starter who can steal a game when the defense falters and give the team confidence that one bad bounce won't undo 60 minutes of work.

That's the standard attached to a $5.25 million annual salary on a team with championship ambitions.

Bednar has been telling us there's another side to this goaltender. After watching Blackwood respond to the Toronto loss with consecutive wins over Dallas and Pittsburgh, I'm beginning to understand what he meant.

I'm not ready to declare every concern dead and buried. Consistency will ultimately determine whether Blackwood can hold down the starting job for the long haul.

But I am ready to admit that my initial reaction to his performance in Toronto was too harsh.

The crow is getting harder to swallow, and Blackwood keeps giving his critics another helping.

If he carries this level of play into the road trip, Avalanche fans may finally have the reason to trust him that Bednar has been preaching all along.

And critics like me? We might need to do something we don't always enjoy doing.

Shut up, watch, and learn.