Avalanche News
Blackwood Recovering Well, Unlikely to Play This Week
Blackwood has not played this season yet
Avalanche goalie Mackenzie Blackwood is progressing towards a return, and all signs point to him being on track to play sometime in October. But Jared Bednar wasn’t able to give a precise return date during his weekly Altitude Radio segment on Wednesday morning.
Still, the head coach seemed pleased and confident with his goalie’s status.
“I got a report [on Tuesday] saying practice went extremely well, best practice yet, so he’s got to be getting closer,” Bednar said of Blackwood.
The team’s usual starter was assigned to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles on a conditioning assignment to allow him an opportunity to practice more while the Avs were on the road.
It still doesn’t sound like they’re going to have him dress in a game in the minors. But being part of full team skates and “getting him in game situations in practice” have helped him through his recovery.
In his absence, usual backup Scott Wedgewood has handled things well for Colorado. Wedgewood is 3-0-1 in four games, boasting a .172 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage.
In each of the Avalanche’s three wins, Wedgewood has surrendered a goal, while letting in four against the Dallas Stars in a 5-4 shootout loss.
Reading between the lines, Blackwood is probably still a few games away. And that’s fine. The Avs’ schedule will allow for them to continue to ride Wedgewood until Blackwood returns. Colorado is in Columbus on Thursday before hosting the Boston Bruins Saturday. After that, the team will have another two days off before taking on the Utah Mammoth next Tuesday.
The team doesn’t play in back to back games until Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.
