DENVER — Minnesota Wild head coach John Hynes has decided to change goalkeepers for Game 2 of their playoff series, turning to Filip Gustavsson after Jesper Wallstedt’s struggles in a devastating 9-6 opening loss to the Colorado Avalanche.
The coaching staff announced the goaltending change hours before Tuesday evening’s puck drop. Gustavsson has been sidelined since giving up five goals during Minnesota’s April 13 matchup against St. Louis. The netminder compiled a solid 28-15-6 record during regular season play, maintaining a 2.69 goals-against average.
Wallstedt’s postseason performance has been concerning, surrendering 14 goals across six contests during Minnesota’s first-round victory over Dallas. His Game 1 performance against Colorado’s potent offense was particularly troublesome, as he allowed eight goals while facing 42 shots. The two goaltenders alternated duties throughout the regular season.
“We have confidence in both of our goalies. They’re both excellent,” Hynes said. “They both played really good hockey. We believe either one of them can win us a game. It’s a good opportunity to get Gus in the net. He’s hungry to get in.”
The 27-year-old Gustavsson brings playoff experience to the crease, having appeared in 11 postseason contests for Minnesota with a 4-6 record, 2.54 goals-against average, and .917 save percentage. According to Hynes, Gustavsson has remained prepared while waiting for his opportunity and has been “very supportive” of the initial decision to start Wallstedt.
“But the thing I liked about it, too, was that he didn’t just concede it, either,” Hynes said. “He wants to play. He wants to get in the net. He was working for it. He’s making sure that he was prepared to do it.
“It could be a little bit of a negative response, but his was, ‘I understand the decision.’ As it went on, he wanted to get into the net. But his attitude toward the team and toward Wally was top shelf.”
Minnesota continues to deal with injury concerns, as forward Joel Eriksson Ek and defenseman Jonas Brodin remain unavailable due to lower-body injuries. Hynes indicated additional lineup adjustments are possible, though those decisions will depend on player health status closer to game time.
