The Wild's netminder faces a formidable Avalanche challenge. Who will steal the show in this pivotal goaltending showdown?
The Minnesota Wild (34-24-10) is back in action on Thursday against the Colorado Avalanche (38-9-9).
It is the Wild's first game back out of the Olympic break. The Wild headed into the pause with wins in five straight games and were 8-1-1 in their last ten before the break.
Here is tonights starting goaltending matchup.t
Filip Gustavsson will start for the Wild tonight for the first of a back-to-back. Jesper Wallstedt will likely get the start in Utah on Friday.
Gustavsson, 27, was Sweden's Olympic starter but after going 1-1-0 in the first two games with a 2.55 goals-against average (GAA) and a .889 save percentage (SV%), Sweden turned to 36-year-old Jacob Markstrom for the elimination game against USA.
Quinn Hughes scored the overtime winner in that game.
Nonetheless, Gustavsson was running hot heading into the break. In his last 23 games (22 starts) since Nov. 16, Gustavsson is 16-2-4 and ranks fifth in the NHL with 16 wins, tied for fifth with two shutouts, seventh with a .915 SV%, and eighth with a 2.38 GAA.
He has not lost in regulation in his last nine games. He is 20-9-6 on the year with a 2.64 GAA and a .907 SV% with three shutouts.
Gustavsson is 2-7-1 with a 3.81 GAA and a .884 SV% in nine starts against Colorado in his career. He has not faced Colorado yet this season.
Mackenzie Blackwood is expected to start tonight after Scott Wedgewood started for the Avs yesterday. The Wild are 1-1-0 against the Avs this season.
Blackwood stopped 28-of-29 shots faced to earn the win for the Avalanche in the second game of the season series and has a 3-4-2 record with a 2.53 GAA and a .911 SV% in nine career starts vs. Minnesota.
He is 16-5-1 on the year with a 2.25 GAA and a .916 SV% in 23 games and 21 starts.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.
