The Colorado Avalanche beat the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night by a final score of 6-5. The game went into overtime, with Devon Toews getting on a breakaway against Ukko-Pekka Luukkenen for the game-winner. Toews really showed his importance in a tough moment.
The Avs trailed 3-1 after two period, and despite Buffalo scoring two more in the third, the Avalanche put up four. Tie game, zeroes on the clock, overtime. It was a magical comeback under disappointing circumstances. The Avalanche lost goaltender Scott Wedgewood after a player was pushed onto Wedgewood’s leg. With that, Ball Arena fell quiet. The injury didn’t look good at all.
We don’t know what the injury is specifically, but head coach Jared Bednar deemed Wedgewood week-to-week. Colorado called up Trent Miner on Friday and the Avalanche even had an EBUG (emergency backup goaltender) at practice Friday.
All eyes were on the goalie situation in that game, including Bednar’s. Bednar went off on the refs and especially spoke about the situation following the game. Needless to say, he was fuming. Well, as “fuming” as he is during those postgame interviews.
Take a listen as to what Bednar says the referees told him in those moments following Wedgewood’s injury:
🗣️ Jared Bednar
— Guerilla Sports (@guerillasports_) January 3, 2025
"If [Scott Wedgewood] is hurt, and he's not getting up, and they're standing right there looking at it, the whistle should go. It's just that simple.
For them to just let it go, and then allow the goal, is insanity to me."#GoAvsGo | #Sabrehood | @gs_off_ice… pic.twitter.com/scS7lUNoWI
Yeah, it’s an absolute joke. I’m in agreement with Bednar 100 percent. If you see a goaltender struggling to get up after an injury, blow the whistle. Regardless of whether or not the puck got into the net after the goaltender went down and was visibly hurt, you need to blow the whistle as to hopefully not cause any more damage to the player’s injury.
As Mark Rycroft said on the call, he’s never seen a goaltender hurt and the opposing team still being able to score. That’s because generally, the whistle should have been blown.
On the plus side, the Avalanche were able to pull off the victory. However, the more important thing is Blackwood’s health. Week-to-week is not an ideal status for the starting goaltender, but we’ll eventually find out more, I’m sure.