Avalanche News
Avalanche Recall Trent Miner, Take 3 Goalies on Road Trip
The Avalanche are taking three goalies with them on their four-game road trip after all. Ahead of their flight to New York on Wednesday, the team recalled goalie Trent Miner, who originally started the season as the backup.
Miner joins a healthy Mackenzie Blackwood and the recently injured Scott Wedgewood on Colorado’s trip. In the second period of Tuesday’s 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks, Scott Wedgewood departed with an upper-body injury and did not return.
READ MORE: Avalanche’s Scott Wedgewood Leaves Game in Second Period
After the game, head coach Jared Bednar said it was more of a precautionary pull due to tightness in the back. The team had Blackwood finish the game, and Colorado’s No. 1 netminder stopped all 10 shots he faced.
Bednar confirmed Wedgewood would join the team for the road trip. He didn’t know after the game if they’d need to bring a third goalie, but Miner’s call-up confirms that we might not see Wedgewood to start the trip.
READ MORE: The Aftermath: Avalanche Avoid Serious Injury in Latest Victory At Ball Arena
The Avs face the New York Islanders on Thursday before playing back-to-back against the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers over the weekend. The trip ends the following Tuesday in Nashville.
Expect Blackwood to get the start on Thursday. If Wedgewood can return for the back-to-back, it would be wise to give him the Sunday game after allowing an extra day of rest. if not, Miner could be getting his second start of the year.
I had that all wrong. Now I predict that Blackie gets all games unless Wedgie is good to go. I see Miner suiting up as the backup only.
There’s a back to back so someone other than Blackwood will get a game
I think Blackwood gets them both if Wedgwood can’t go. Blackwood has looked good recently and testing him back to back is probably good for him. Bednar usually hates using back up much. This year is an exception because of how well Wedgewood has been playing. Miner unlikely to get the same respect and Blackwood has hardly been overworked.
Miner has played very well for the Eagles and in his brief stints with the Avs. Bednar will have no qualms in starting Miner. Look for it if Wedgie can’t go on the back to back. It makes zero sense to risk Blackie’s health on a regular season game. They wouldn’t have brought Miner on the trip if they didn’t intend to use him if needed.
I agree. I think Miner has proved himself a capable lower-end NHL-quality goalie at this point in his career – which honestly is all the Avs need him to be on this trip, and still puts him ahead of any goalie currently suiting up for Edmonton, Detroit, or Nashville. I think eventually he has a ceiling similar to Wedgewood’s: a high-end backup capable of being the second option in a strong tandem
Today on his weekly Altitude radio show, Bednar said Brindley is ahead of schedule and is going on the road trip and could possibly play last game. Not my problem to figure out who sits but this team is so deep and will be more so when LOC makes it back
This is completely expected. Were they going to proceed not knowing if they had more than one playable goaltender?