John Hynes Starts Filip Gustavsson for Game 2 Against Colorado Avalanche

John Hynes turned to Filip Gustavsson for Game 2 against the colorado avalanche on Tuesday after Jesper Wallstedt was beaten for eight goals in Sunday’s 9-6 loss. The move gives Minnesota a different starter at the most exposed spot in the series, with the Wild trailing after a wild opener.

Gustavsson Gets the Nod

Hynes said the change reflected the way Minnesota handled its net throughout the season. “Every time you make a decision, I think in a lineup decision, you take a lot of things into account.”

He added, “We’ve had two very good goalies all year long.” Gustavsson started 49 of 82 regular-season games in his fourth season with the Wild, while Wallstedt carried a.916 save rate in the regular season.

The coach also tied the choice to workload. “Wally’s taken the brunt of the playoffs; he’s played seven straight games.” Wallstedt had started Minnesota’s first seven National Hockey League playoff games before Tuesday’s switch.

Wallstedt’s Game 1 Exit

Sunday’s opener left the Wild with a decision to make. Wallstedt allowed eight goals, seven at five-on-five, on 42 shots as Colorado won 9-6, and Hynes responded by giving Gustavsson the start for Game 2.

He said, “Gus has played a lot of good hockey for us.” Hynes also pointed back to the team’s year-long rotation: “It’s a situation for us that, you know, we knew that Gus was going to be the starter to come into the year with Wally being a rookie,” he said. “But then, Wally came in and showed he was really prepared and ready to play.”

“But for the year, we rotated them,” Hynes said. “And I think it was very beneficial to our team.” Gustavsson entered the series with a.904 save rate, giving Minnesota a different profile in net after Wallstedt absorbed the Game 1 damage.

Colorado’s Goalie Call

Jared Bednar did not name his starter for Game 2, though he was expected to stick with Scott Wedgewood. Wedgewood allowed six goals in Game 1, one more than he allowed during Colorado’s four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Kings in the first round.

The Avalanche’s rotation is just as visible as Minnesota’s. Colorado split its regular-season starts 43-36 between Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood, with Wedgewood finishing 31-6-6 with a.924 save percentage and Blackwood at 23-10-2 with a.904 save percentage.

Bednar said, “I can’t just go off conventional thinking of, like, it’s just one goalie.” If the series keeps shifting this way, both clubs may keep leaning on the same two names in goal while trying to stop a game that already produced 15 goals and a second-round reset in Minnesota’s crease.