10 Observations: Capping off a Successful First Month With Mackenzie Blackwood

Mackenzie Blackwood only let in one goal on the one-month anniversary of the day he was traded to the Avalanche. And the team playing in front of him — the one that feels confident with the new goalie manning the crease — scored six times against a divisional rival sitting ahead of them in the Central.

Yes, the Minnesota Wild were dealing with several injuries — including all three of their top defensemen. That probably helps explain why they surrendered six. But the single goal scored? That’s because Blackwood, as he’s done time and time again since joining the Avs, was able to keep the puck out of the net when the Wild had several great scoring chances. The game was only 2-1 at that time.

Let’s dive into another Avs win, two more points in the standings, and more of that Blackwood swagger that has uplifted this roster.

10 Observations

1. Blackwood’s save percentage has reached .920. He was inching closer to that number with each passing game but got there after making 24 saves against the Wild.

Could you imagine what this past month has meant to him? He’s yet to let in more than two goals in any game, he gets to sit back and watch Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon, and Mikko Rantanen do their thing offensively, and he’s already signed a new long-term contract.

2. In the six games (five starts) since the extension, Blackwood is 5-0-1 with seven goals against — or one fewer than the number of goals Colorado gave up on opening night.

Blackwood's goals against with the #Avs:

2
2
2
2
1
2
1
1
1
1

The trade was a month ago today. What a difference he's made.

— Aarif Deen (@runwriteAarif) January 10, 2025

3. Colorado was 0-for-3 on the penalty kill and scored a shorthanded goal. This stat is courtesy of Altitude TV, but Backwood has a .967 save percentage on the PK since joining the Avs. To understand truly how good that is, last year Thatcher Demko had the best PK save percentage among starters with a .917. Yes, it’s only a 10-game sample size for Blackwood, but it’s a crazy good number regardless.

4. Loved seeing Josh Manson step up with Samuel Girard absent from the lineup. He imposed his will physically, laying out Marco Rossi before feeding Logan O’Connor for the opening goal. In the third period, Manson intercepted a pass on the penalty kill and smoothly skated the length of the ice before sending a pass to Artturi Lehkonen for a one-timer shorthanded goal.

5. That was O’Connor’s first goal in 14 games. But in his last 12 — which coincides with Blackwood’s debut — O’Connor has five points. Not a bad clip for a player who usually gives you around 25 points in a full season.

6. The shot from Parker Kelly that beat Filip Gustavsson was sneaky good. I don’t think there’s been a player on this roster that I’ve grown more fond of since opening night than Kelly. You could see why the team valued him in July and signed him on the opening day of free agency. Feels like a perfect Jared Bednar guy.

I still wonder if they can unlock more offense out of him. If not this season then maybe in 2025-26. He’s still only 25 years old and has already played 20 percent of his NHL career with the Avs. The tools are there.

7. Keaton Middleton won the first Middleton Cup against older brother Jacob. The younger Middleton played 13:48 and was a +1.

8. Jonathan Drouin re-entering the lineup and recording two assists is about as 2024-25 Avalanche as it gets.

9. Rantanen became the third player to 60 points this season, joining MacKinnon and Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl. The Oilers’ leading scorer beat Rantanen to the mark by a couple of hours.

10. Lehkonen (31 GP) is up to 15 goals but only has six assists. Ross Colton (26 GP) scored his 13th of the season but only has two assists. He didn’t play today, but Valeri Nichushkin (21 GP) has 11 goals but only six assists. That’s what happens when MacKinnon is on pace for 101 assists.