Wild may start Wallstedt in Game 3
- Minnesota may hand Game 3 back to Jesper Wallstedt on Saturday, with coach John Hynes still undecided after Colorado grabbed a 2-0 series lead. - Brian Boucher thinks Wallstedt should have started Game 2 too, even after the rookie gave up eight goals on 42 shots in Game 1. - The bigger issue is Minnesota’s worn-down lineup — and possible returns for Joel Eriksson Ek or Jonas Brodin.
Minnesota’s goalie question is really a series-survival question. The Wild are down 2-0 to Colorado after getting shelled 9-6 in Game 1 and beaten 5-2 in Game 2, and now they head home needing a clean reset fast. That is why Jesper Wallstedt is suddenly the story again. Not because anyone thinks one switch fixes everything — but because the Wild need a version of themselves that can actually slow this series down. (nhl.com) ### Why is Wallstedt even back in the conversation? Because Minnesota already tried the other option. Wallstedt, the 23-year-old rookie, started Game 1 and gave up eight goals on 42 shots. Filip Gustavsson got Game 2 and allowed four goals on 22 shots. Put together, Wild goalies have surrendered 12 goals on 64 shots in two games, which tells you this is not just one bad night from one guy. (nhl.com) ### So is Wallstedt actually starting? Not officially — at least not yet. John Hynes said Thursday that Minnesota had not decided on a Game 3 starter. But Brian Boucher, working the TNT broadcast, said he expects Wallstedt to get the net and even argued Minnesota should have stuck wi(nhl.com)ope the backup solves a systemic problem. (nhl.com) ### Why would the Wild trust him after Game 1? Because the bigger sample still says Wallstedt is not some emergency option. He started the Wild’s first seven playoff games this spring, helped them get through Dallas in Round 1, and posted a.916 save percentage across 35 regular-seaso(nhl.com)s not flawless, but it is real starter-level work for a rookie. (nhl.com) ### Is this really about the goalie, though? Not entirely. Colorado has spent two games attacking Minnesota’s structure, not just its crease. Boucher’s bigger point was that the Wild finally got three full days between Games 2 and 3, and they badly need that breather. Quinn Hughes and Brock Faber were each logging huge minutes in the fi(nhl.com)s speed and layers off the rush. Fresh legs matter here more than any magic glove hand. (nhl.com) ### Why do Eriksson Ek and Brodin matter so much? Because they change the shape of the team. Joel Eriksson Ek gives Minnesota its hardest matchup center and a stabilizer for Matt Boldy’s line. Jonas Brodin gives the Wild another trusted defender so Faber and Hughes do not have to absor(nhl.com)e not ruled out for Game 3. That is the kind of update that matters more than goalie theater. (nhl.com) ### What would starting Wallstedt signal? Basically, conviction. It would say Minnesota still believes its best path is the one that got it this far — trust the rookie, tighten the coverage, and make Colorado solve a more organized game. It would also avoid the worst playoff vibe a team can create: looking like it is guessing. Down 2-0, the Wild need a plan more than a panic move. (nhl.com) ### What is the bottom line? Wallstedt might start Game 3, but the real bet is on recovery. If Minnesota gets healthier, defends cleaner, and turns this into a lower-event game at home on May 9, the rookie goalie choice can look smart. If not, it probably will not matter who is in net. (nhl.com)
