Colorado goaltender Scott Wedgewood left the Avalanche’s Thursday game against the visiting Buffalo Sabres with an apparent right leg injury.
Coach Jared Bednar said after the game that Wedgewood, an early-season acquisition as Colorado’s goaltenders were struggling, still needed a medical evaluation, but that “he’ll miss some time.”
Wedgewood wore a boot on his right leg after the game but was able to walk around.
Wedgewood, a seven-year NHL veteran, was hurt just over a minute into the third period when Sabres forward Zach Benson was battling with Avalanche center Parker Kelly near the Colorado goal. Benson appeared to be checked into Wedgewood, who went down inside his net.
Play continued and Benson scored seconds later to give Buffalo a 4-2 lead. Bednar maintained after the game that play should have been stopped when Wedgewood was unable to get up right away.
“Referee said (the whistle) wasn’t blown because we put their guy into Scott,” Bednar said. “I said, ‘I don’t give a (bleep). He’s hurt.’ They’re standing there. He’s sitting there. He’s hurt. Blow the whistle.”
Wedgewood was helped off the ice and went to the locker room after making 14 saves. He was replaced by Mackenzie Blackwood, who stopped 2 of 3 shots.
The Avalanche scored two goals in the final 2:26 of regulation to tie the game, and they sealed a 5-4 win 48 seconds into overtime on a marker by Devon Toews.
Wedgewood, 32, was acquired from the Nashville Predators on Nov. 30. He has a 4-2-0 record and a 2.35 goals-against average in seven games — six starts — since the trade.
–Field Level Media