Wild need perfect goaltending to beat Avalanche

After all the hoopla of the NHL Draft Lottery on Tuesday, we still had a Stanley Cup playoff game to watch, as the Colorado Avalanche kept their perfect postseason rolling with a 5-2 Game 2 victory over the Minnesota Wild to grab a 2-0 lead in their second-round series. Despite the win, Tuesday’s game might’ve been the first time in these playoffs that Colorado was arguably outplayed. The Wild outshot the Avalanche 31-23, and had 62.36% of the expected goals, according to Natural Stat Trick. And yet, Minnesota still lost handily, thanks in large part to their goaltending.

Filip Gustavsson got his first start of the playoffs on Tuesday after Jesper Wallstedt allowed eight goals on 42 shots in Game 1. Gustavsson, however, did not take advantage of his opportunity to grab hold of the Wild’s crease, as he allowed four goals on just 22 shots, including at least a couple he’d like to have back. Whether it’s Wallstedt or Gustavsson getting the nod for Game 3, Minnesota will need much steadier goaltending to get back into this series.

On Wednesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, hosts Tyler Yaremchuk and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton discussed how the Wild’s goaltending has let them down against the Avalanche.

Tyler Yaremchuk: Despite the fact that Minnesota outshoots them 31-23, they still lose the game. They were down 4-1 at one point in this hockey game. Where do you want to start? Do you want to start with Filip Gustavsson?

Carter Hutton: Sure, let’s start there. The timing of this game, where you’re coming in off the bench after Jesper Wallstedt’s been very good throughout the playoffs and had a rough go in Game 1. It’s your start and you’re going to try to solidify the net and be important, and the first goal just can’t go in. It’s a very, very bad goal. Martin Necas walks to center ice, there’s a little bit of confusion. (Jared) Spurgeon kind of gets low on the play and they give up the center of the ice, and it’s a backhander which is always tricky to read, but this is a routine save in the playoffs, in the regular season, in any moment.

It’s a nice play by (Nathan) MacKinnon to pick it up in his skates, he drives it low and drops it back to Necas. Spurgeon ends up so low down by the dot, and it’s a routine backhander. You just need to make a save there, and I think it sets the tone for the game. I know they respond quickly, but right there, you’re like “Oh God, not again. We’re going to have a night where we can’t make a save.” And then they go and get two power play goals. I think it just sets the tone for the series that “We are going to have to play perfect hockey,” and they haven’t been getting perfect goaltending. It’s a big miss right now for the Minnesota Wild.

You can catch the full discussion and the rest of Wednesday’s episode here…