Blackwood key to Game 1 win in playoff debut for Avalanche

DALLAS -- The Colorado Avalanche combined for 1,177 games of experience in the Stanley Cup Playoffs entering Game 1 of the Western Conference First Round. Their starting goalie, however, had zero.

A big question, at least on the outside, was how Mackenzie Blackwood would handle it.

He responded by making 23 saves in a 5-1 win against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center. The only goal he allowed came on a deflection on a power play when he didn’t have his stick.

“He’s an amazing goalie,” said Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, who had two goals and an assist. “I think we have a lot of trust in him, obviously. He made some huge saves. It easily could have been 2-2, and all of a sudden, it’s 5-1, so it’s a completely different game with his saves.”

Colorado is a completely different team with him in net.

The Avalanche made several moves to revamp their team on the fly this season, and one of the biggest was acquiring Blackwood from the San Jose Sharks on Dec. 9 and signing him to a five-year contract Dec. 27.

General manager Chris MacFarland said the Avalanche liked his 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame and upside.

“He’s a big body, athletic goaltender who is still young and still growing as a goaltender,” MacFarland said after the signing. “Stylistically, he has fit really well with how we play and has been a perfect fit in our dressing room as well.”

Blackwood went 22-12-3 with a 2.33 goals-against average, a .913 save percentage and three shutouts in 37 regular-season games (36 starts) for the Avalanche.

Asked about the difference between this Colorado team and the one Dallas defeated in six games in the second round last season, Stars coach Pete DeBoer said, “They’re a deeper team, and they didn’t have Mackenzie Blackwood last year, and he obviously was a key guy for them tonight.”

Blackwood had played 252 regular-season games in the NHL, the 10th most by a goalie before his first playoff game.

“I think he’s got a lot to prove,” said Scott Wedgewood, his backup. “He’s got a chip on his shoulder. … He’s trying to put that foot down on a starting-goalie [job] and [become] a guy you can lean on.”

On one hand, this was one of the biggest moments of Blackwood’s career, a chance to prove something.

“It was pretty special,” Blackwood said. “I’ve been waiting to play in the playoffs for a long time. It was great to finally get to play my first one.”

On the other, it was his 253rd game in the NHL. The 28-year-old had done this before.

“I mean, the way I approached the game today was the same,” he said. “Obviously, a little bit more intensity. You could feel it around the rink. But I mean, you have to go do the same job. I don’t want to change things about my game. I know what I have to do to have success, so try to just approach it like a big game and go do the best I could.”

Wedgewood said Blackwood didn’t talk much before the game.

“He was focused,” Wedgewood said. “If that’s what he wants, I’ll give him the space. If he wants to talk, I’m here for him. He knows that. So, it’s good. We’ve got each other, and I’m proud of him.”

The Stars had their chances. But Blackwood stopped captain Jamie Benn midway through the first period and forward Wyatt Johnston early in the second, each on the penalty kill. He slid to his left to stop forward Mavrik Bourque shortly before forward Artturi Lehkonen gave Colorado a 1-0 lead at 9:30 of the second.

The Avalanche had a 2-0 lead at 18:28 of the second when Johnston passed from the right wing in front for forward Sam Steel. Blackwood stoned him.

After Blackwood lost his stick on the penalty kill, center Roope Hintz deflected a point shot by defenseman Thomas Harley past him, cutting Colorado’s lead to 2-1 at 6:45 of the third. But that was it. The Avalanche blew open the game afterward.

“He was awesome,” Avalanche center Charlie Coyle said. “Every time we needed a big save, he was there to keep us tied, keep us ahead. Every step of the way, they got a chance, we had a little breakdown, and he shut the door. You need that at playoff time to win these tight games. It’s a game of inches, and he earned it. Enough can’t be said about the game he played tonight.”