Minnesota Wild’s Goalie Switch Backfires in Game 2 Loss to Colorado Avalanche

The Minnesota Wild attempted to solve their defensive issues by changing goalies in Game 2 against the Colorado Avalanche. The adjustment failed to produce a better result.

After a high-scoring 9-6 loss in Game 1, head coach John Hynes replaced Jesper Wallstedt with Filip Gustavsson in net for Tuesday’s contest. Before the game, Hynes said Gustavsson, who had not played since April 13, was “hungry” to return to action.

Colorado made sure Gustavsson’s return was far from enjoyable. The Avalanche dominated offensively again, continuing their strong series start at Ball Arena in Denver.

The Avalanche defeated the Wild 5-2, moving ahead 2-0 in the best-of-seven matchup. The series will now shift to Minnesota, where Game 3 is scheduled for Saturday at 9 p.m. ET on TNT, truTV, and HBO Max.

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Five Colorado players contributed goals in the Game 2 win. Martin Necas, Gabriel Landeskog, Nicolas Roy, Nathan MacKinnon, and Valeri Nichushkin each found the net for the Avalanche.

Colorado’s offensive depth has been a major factor, with 16 of 18 Avalanche skaters recording at least one point in the postseason. The team remains undefeated in the playoffs heading into the next matchup.

Filip Gustavsson’s performance showed continued difficulty against Colorado. He recorded 18 saves on 22 shots, an .818 save percentage, which was only slightly higher than Wallstedt’s .810 mark from Game 1 when Wallstedt made 34 saves on 42 attempts.

Before Tuesday, Gustavsson had already faced statistical struggles against the Avalanche. The 2016 second-round pick entered the game with a 3-7-1 record versus Colorado, a 3.56 goals-against average, and an .898 save percentage, according to StatMuse.

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Those numbers reflected a consistent challenge for Gustavsson when facing this opponent. Despite the goalie change, Colorado’s attack continued to find opportunities throughout the game.

The Wild have not matched the Avalanche’s offensive output so far, falling behind early in the series. Through two games, Colorado’s scoring depth has pressured both goalies.

Head coach John Hynes faces another decision in net ahead of Game 3. Whether he stays with Gustavsson or turns back to Wallstedt was not specified, but the team’s current deficit leaves little room for error.

Minnesota’s scoring potential was highlighted in Game 1’s shootout result, but the offense failed to deliver at that same level in Game 2. The result leaves the Wild trailing a series that has been defined by Colorado’s steady offensive production.

The first two contests demonstrated why the Avalanche continue to be described as an offensive dynamo in the series. Minnesota has yet to find the defensive adjustments or goaltending consistency needed to even the matchup.

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