Parker Kelly Recounts Scott Wedgewood’s Injury: ‘I Didn’t Initiate Contact’ (+)

CENTENNIAL, Colo. — The Avalanche’s thrilling 6-5 overtime victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday will undoubtedly be remembered for its dramatic ending.

Colorado, for the second time this season, erased a large multi-goal deficit against the Sabres to earn two points. This time, the Avs trailed 3-0 and later 5-3 before scoring twice in the final minutes to force OT. Jonathan Drouin tied the game with eight seconds remaining and Devon Toews made a spectacular individual effort in the extra period to take the puck away from Tage Thompson and break in all alone to cap off an amazing comeback.

But amid the celebrations was a concern for the status of Scott Wedgewood. Colorado’s goalie was part of a controversial play involving Avalanche forward Parker Kelly and Sabres rookie Zach Benson.

The incident occurred early in the third period when Benson cut toward the Avalanche’s crease, colliding with Kelly and falling into Wedgewood. While Wedgewood went down in visible pain, Buffalo picked up the loose puck in the corner and scored, extending their lead to 4-2. The play’s continuation, despite Wedgewood’s injury, and the circumstances surrounding the collision, began a lengthy stoppage that was capped off by a goaltender interference review in protest from head coach Jared Bednar.

The Avalanche were livid.

“If he’s hurt and he’s not getting up and they’re standing there looking at it, the whistle should go. It’s just that simple,” Bednar said on Thursday following the game. “For them to just let it go and then allow the goal is insanity to me.”

Bednar also said he didn’t feel like it was goalie interference “because we bumped into him.”

I caught up with Kelly on Friday in an exclusive 1-on-1 to get his take on the matter. After all, nobody was closer to the play than Colorado’s third-line center.