Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood forces Team Canada's hand after eye-opening performance against Utah
Scott Wedgewood, Colorado Avalanche, Utah Mammoth collide as a quiet goalie night turns loud with a shutout that sparks Team Canada chatter and steadies a tense Central Division race.
The building felt tense early, the kind of night where one mistake could sink you. Scott Wedgewood looked calm from the opening faceoff, tracking pucks cleanly and settling the Colorado Avalanche bench shift by shift.
Scott Wedgewood forces Team Canada conversation after latest performance.
Ryan O'Hara from The Hockey News writes that Colorado scratched out just enough offense, with Samuel Girard beating Utah goaltending late in the second period. That single goal was all the Avalanche needed, because Wedgewood slammed the door from there.
Utah pushed hard in the third period, throwing traffic and rebounds toward the crease. Wedgewood stayed square, absorbed pucks, and kicked loose chances to safe areas, finishing with a 32 save shutout.
It was Wedgewood's first shutout as a member of the Avalanche and one of the most controlled games he has played this season. Colorado improved its home record and banked two points without leaning on offensive stars.
Fans noticed the buzz immediately, and it felt like one of those performances that makes people sit up and say maybe this guy belongs in bigger conversations.
Wedgewood, 32, has quietly been one of the steadier goaltenders in the league this season. Through limited starts, he has delivered strong save percentages and kept Colorado afloat during heavy stretches.
The Hockey News also leaned into the obvious angle after the game, asking whether
Team Canada can keep ignoring his play. With the international calendar looming and other Canadian goalies wobbling, the question feels fair.
Wedgewood downplayed the noise afterward, saying his focus stays on winning games for Colorado. That answer fit the night, because nothing about his game looked distracted or loose.
From a tactical standpoint, the Avalanche helped him by limiting slot chances and keeping Utah mostly to the outside. Still, several east west plays forced Wedgewood to move laterally, and he answered every one.
For Colorado, this was a reminder that goaltending depth matters over an 82 game season. Jared Bednar trusted Wedgewood, and the result reinforced that confidence.
The bigger picture will sort itself out later, but nights like this tend to linger. For now, Avalanche fans will take the shutout, the points, and the feeling that something steady is building in net.
Previously on Colorado Hockey Daily
| POLL |
DECEMBRE 24 | 39 ANSWERS Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood forces Team Canada's hand after eye-opening performance against Utah Should Scott Wedgewood be in the Team Canada discussion after his Avalanche shutout? |
| Yes | 36 | 92.3 % |
| No | 3 | 7.7 % |
| List of polls |