Avalanche Make Several Lineup Changes

Shortly before the puck dropped in Minnesota on Game 4 between the Avalanche and Wild, a number of lineup changes were revealed. Artturi Lehkonen and Sam Malinski are out, with MacKenzie Blackwood starting in goal, noted by Peter Baugh of The Athletic. Josh Manson has returned, along with Jack Ahcan who will make his NHL playoff debut. Finally, Joel Kiviranta is back with the forward group, skating on the fourth line.

Out of the several notes, most surprising is Lehkonen’s absence, apparently a result of an upper-body injury. A key role player always capable of stepping up in the spring, Lehkonen has three goals and six points in seven playoff games so far. Malinski is also a notable subtraction, the 27-year-old defenseman breaking out this year with 40 points, apparently dealing with the same ailment. His first and only career playoff goal broke the scoring in the opening game of the series against the Wild.

Nick Blankenburg, who filled in defensively for Manson and skated in the series’ first three games, is scratched. Today has been a whirlwind for the 28-year-old Ahcan, recalled earlier today from the AHL, in the midst of the Colorado Eagles’ Calder Cup playoff run. Now he’s all set to play in a crucial game in his home state of Minnesota. To be chosen over Blankenburg, often size is a factor, as the smooth skater acquired from Nashville is just 5’9″. However, Ahcan is also smaller in stature, standing 5’8″, the difference being that he’s left-handed and forming a balance on the third pairing with the 6’3″ righty Manson.

Scott Wedgewood had started every game in the postseason for the Avs, the 33-year-old holding things down on the way to 31 wins in the regular season and a .921 save percentage, by far career highs. Still, the veteran was pulled after surrendering three goals on 12 shots in Game 3, prompting them to turn to Blackwood. The 29-year-old nearly split duty with Wedgewood throughout the campaign, and now he’ll get his eighth career playoff start, all with Colorado.

Manson and Kiviranta’s returns were expected. The defenseman Manson is finally cleared to make his playoff debut not having played since late April due to an upper-body injury. Kiviranta, meanwhile, hasn’t played since the second game of the first round series against Los Angeles, dealing with an undisclosed injury. It has been several years now, but still hard to forget the Finnish winger’s efforts in the 2020 playoffs as a Dallas Star, culminating in a Game 7 hat trick in the Western Conference Finals, taking down his current club in Colorado.

With their depth being put to the test, the door is wide open for the Wild to knot up the series 2-2 on home ice. If not, they’ll face a tall task, although Minnesota did overcome a 3-1 deficit as part of their memorable 2003 run, against Colorado, no less.