“A little anxious to get going, but the 1 p. m. game, you don’t really have much (time) to think about it,” Avs goaltender Scott Wedgewood said after stopping 24 of 25 Los Angeles shots in a 2-1 Stanley Cup Playoffs victory. “So just get up, prep, and go. And once we got a few shots on and settled down, the crowd was into it. First TV timeout, I was talking to (fellow goalie Mackenzie Blackwood), just kind of felt like my heart rate was a little high. But once we got going, it just felt like normal again.”

The nicest thing you could say about Wedgewood — “Wedgie” to the Ball Arena faithful who chanted his name repeatedly Sunday — was that his first-ever career NHL postseason start, at age 33, looked pretty much like one of his normal, composed regular-season outings in burgundy and blue.

For the most part, he kept the action in front of him. If not for a funny bounce in the third period, he would’ve kept every puck in front of him, too. Nineteen even-strength saves, five power-play saves, no muss, no fuss.

“We have so much trust in him and he’s super-composed,” Avs forward Logan O’Connor said Colorado’s now-official 1A net-minder. “Super-positive all the time, whatever the circumstances are. And we know if we have breakdowns, which are going to happen, he’s got our back throughout that. And just seeing his game grow, (as a) late bloomer, having the best season he’s had in his career right now at the perfect time for our team has been special to watch.”

Wedgewood, sitting to O’Connor’s left on the Avs’ makeshift stage, lit up at that one.

“Thanks, dude,” the goalie said.

It couldn’t have happened to a nicer bunch of bums. And chippy bums, at that. The Kings went into this series with a lot of bark and almost no offensive bite. Los Angeles let its elbows do most of the talking Sunday, and the message was clear: We have no chance in heck to beat you clean, so you wanna throw down some gloves and dance?

Clarke shoved O’Connor at least once. With eight minutes left in the contest, Kempe bonked Cale Makar in the back of the head, then went to the box for mixing it up with captain Gabe Landeskog, who came to Makar’s defense, shortly thereafter. At least it served the top-seeded Avs a taste of what’s to come — eight straight weeks of knuckle sandwiches.

“Absolutely, the intensity and physicality (are) going to ramp up as the rounds go on here,” O’Connor, the Mayor, a scrapper and poacher built for playoff hockey, noted after scoring his first goal since last April 26. “We know teams are going to want to try and push us out of games. We feel as though we can push back just as hard. I think that’s one great thing about our group, is the versatility within our locker room.

“You want to go (the style of a) 1-0 game, we like to think we can beat you at that. Track meet, if it happens, we’ve got that. Physicality, we have guys that are willing to step up. You know, as that happens, just try not to get frustrated with it. Teams are going to try and get under our skin, get under Cale (Makar’s) skin, whatever it may be, and I think it’s just on us to continue to respond with playing the right way, being disciplined, and continue to just stick to our game plan without getting frustrated.”

With that, Wedgewood leaned into the microphone and grinned.

“Not much more I can add,” the goalie deadpanned.

He added more than enough between the pipes. Wedgewood had to be on his tootsies early — the first 11 minutes were a snooze-fest, by and large. At the 9:06 mark of the opening stanza, the two teams had combined for as many giveaways (seven) as shots.

“I think just the atmosphere of it, you know, regular season-wise, you can get into some lulls throughout the game,” Wedgewood noted later.

“It’s always like you’re engaged, you’re going, and then once the TV timeouts or whistles go, I kind of flush it. Almost rely on (flushing) it, kind of like a golf shot. Each play, you’ve got something coming at you to dial in … And (that) just seems to kind of keep my brain from just being on all the time and getting exhausted and then also being completely out of it.”

Sunday proved more labor than love. The Kings have only two paths for pulling off an upset in this series: Either boring the Avs to death while hoping goalie Anton Forsberg can somehow steal a win; or goading multiple Colorado stars into assault and battery charges, and suspensions, along the way.

Los Angeles spent most of Sunday slowing the tempo and trying to drag a faster, better team into the mud with them. With 4:31 left in the second period, Nathan MacKinnon wristed a low line drive from the right faceoff circle that Forsberg parried but couldn’t corral. Enter Artturi Lehkonen, who swooped into the crease to clean up with Doughty still riding his back, remaining upright and curling the rebound around Forsberg’s right leg to finally light the tamp. When No. 62 cocked his head back to scream in chorus with the crowd, it felt like sweet relief as much anything else.

“They’re a tight-checking team, physical team, good team,” Avs scrapper Jack Drury said. “But we are, too.”

And until the final three minutes, Wedgewood met the moment as a No. 1 Cup goalie. With five minutes left in a scoreless first period, No. 41 turned away an Artemi Panarin wrister. With 3:11 left in a scoreless first period, The Avs veteran stoned a Trevor Moore wrister, then hung in while Doughty missed an open net.

“WED-GIE!”

“WED-GIE!”

“WED-GIE!”

Forty seconds into the second stanza, Wedgewood produced another nice save on a wrister by hard-charging Alex Laferriere. He held firm on the Kings’ first power play following the Avs’ unsuccessful replay challenge midway through the stanza.

“WED-GIE!”

“WED-GIE!”

“WED-GIE!”

As the Avs led 2-0 with 11:13 left in the third, the Colorado goalie found himself literally wedged into his left post while the Kings stabbed at his ankles. Nothing.

“WED-GIE!”

“WED-GIE!”

“WED-GIE!”

And 2.94 goals for the game. Los Angeles also whiffed on two open nets in the first 40 minutes. Luck be a Landy!

“What did you think of Scott Wedgewood’s first NHL playoff start?” Avs coach Jared Bednar was asked.

To this, the stoic Bednar raised an uncharacteristic (and bruised) eyebrow.

“Ever?”

“Yup,” the scribes murmured.

“Didn’t know that.”

“That said, what can you say about his game?”

“I thought he was fantastic,” Bednar replied. “Yeah, did everything he needed to do. Obviously, bigger stakes, more emotion, but played the exact same way that he’s been playing for us all year.”.

Ever the cad, Bednar still wouldn’t commit to saying Wedgewood when asked if 41 would be his starter for Game 2 on Tuesday night.

“Not going to answer that,” the Avs coach groused.

He doesn’t have to. The scoreboard did it for him. There’s a reason the Kings are walking kinda funny into Game 2 on Tuesday night.

The Avs will face the Los Angeles Kings at 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon at Ball Arena. It will be the first Stanley Cup Playoffs start for Wedgewood. He’s appeared in four NHL postseason games in relief.

Wedgewood, 33, is the eighth-oldest goaltender to get his first playoff start in NHL history, per NHL stats. He’s the oldest to do so since Anton Khudobin got his first in 2020 for the Dallas Stars.

Wedgewood finished the regular season at 31-6-6 with a .921 save percentage and a 2.02 goals against average — both were the best in the NHL among qualified goalies. He and Mackenzie Blackwood captured the William Jennings Trophy, awarded to the goalies who played at least 25 games for the club that led the NHL in fewest goals allowed.

Yes, the recent playoff history for NHL teams that record the most regular-season points in a given year is … well, we won’t lie. It stinks.

The last squad to rack up the most points in the NHL’s regular season and then go on to win the Stanley Cup was the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks.

Since then, only the New York Rangers have won the Presidents’ Trophy and even reached their respective conference finals (’14-15 and ’23-24).

The puckheads up in the Grading The Week offices have given the Presidents’ Trophy a lot of thought these last few months, as it became a necessary evil in order for the Avs to assuredly avoid another first-round playoff matchup with the Stars (who they’ll probably end up playing in the second round anyway).

By and large, full disclosure, we kinda hate the thing. It’s a front office award more than a team one. Is it a fine achievement? Yeah. Sure. But in a sport with the most fun, most arduous, most physical and most bonkers postseason bracket in North America, played for the best sports trophy on Planet Earth, “winning” the regular season feels like a lot of empty calories compared to lifting Lord Stanley’s Cup.

Let’s put it this way: Winnipeg won the Presidents’ Trophy a year ago. The Capitals have won it three times over the last three decades; Since ’96, the Canucks and Stars have won it twice. They don’t throw parades for Presidents’ Trophies.

The NHL postseason is a different beast with different officiating, different stakes, different intensity and different rules.

And yet … two things tend to translate, historically, from the regular season to the playoff grit and grind. One is good goaltending. The second is dominance via depth. Your ’25-26 Avs have plenty of both. Which is why history says they’re poised to pull off something no NHL team has done in 48 years.

Colorado’s Presidents’ Trophy Curse — C-

The Avs’ 121 points set a new single-season franchise record, (But, it should be noted, didn’t win the Presidents’ Trophy that season — Florida got it, only to be eliminated by eventual Eastern Conference champ Tampa Bay in the second round.)

Colorado is just the 13th team in league history to reach the 120-point mark during the regular season. Downside: The last team to win the Cup while also producing a regular season of 120 points or more was the ’77-78 Montreal Canadiens.

But the GTW crew did a little digging, and we found something curious when it comes to those 120-point clubs and the postseason. Something curious and pretty hopeful, if you wear burgundy and blue.

Only three of those 13 teams led the league during their respective regular seasons in both most goals scored and fewest goals given up. The first two were the ’76-77 Canadiens and the ’77-78 Habs we already mentioned.

The third? This season’s Avs. No other NHL squads racked up at least 120 points while also leading the league in most goals for and fewest goals against.

Those two Montreal teams that dominated in the standings and the scoreboard? They won it all, baby.

And what a regular season.

Nathan MacKinnon (127 points) and Marty Necas (100) both topped the 100-point mark — Necas for the first time in his career with an assist at Calgary this past Tuesday.

MacKinnon notched a fourth straight 100-point season, extending the longest streak in Colorado franchise history, while winning the NHL’s Maurice Richard trophy as the league’s leading goal-scorer for the first time. His 53 goals were a new career best.

On the other end of the pond, the goaltending combo of Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood, Denver’s Lumber Company, notched the William M. Jennings Trophy from the league for allowing the fewest goals as a team.

Wedgewood, at age 33, just became the first goalie in Avs or Nordiques history to lead the NHL in both save percentage (92.1) and goal-against average (2,02). The last Avs netminder to lead the league in GAA was the great Patrick Roy in ’01-02. More historical precedent: Of the previous six teams that posted seasons of 120 points-plus while also leading the league in fewest goals allowed, four went on to win the Cup.

For six months, the Avs have been the best team in hockey. Front to back. As far as Lord Stanley’s concerned, none of that matters now. But when you’re this darn good, even curses don’t stand in your way.

Avalanche vs. Kings matchups: Who has the edge?

Kings: 35-27-20, 90 points; 2.68 goals per game (29th), 2.90 goals against per game (8th)

Avalanche: 55-16-11, 121 points; 3.63 goals per game (1st), 2.40 goals against per game (1st)

Offense

The Avs just missed being the only NHL club to score 300 goals this year, but their 298 was still seven more than Carolina in second and 78 more than the Kings. Colorado hasn’t had its full allotment of forwards together very often since the additions of Nazem Kadri and Nicolas Roy before the trade deadline, but everyone is expected to be ready for Game 1.

It’s the best forward group in the league if everyone is healthy. Nathan MacKinnon led the league in goals and should be a Hart Trophy finalist for the third straight year. Martin Necas collected 100 points for the first time in his career. Brock Nelson fired home 33 goals and formed a dominant two-way tandem with Valeri Nichushkin.

Kadri will likely center the third line and Jack Drury the fourth, but Ross Colton could end up on any of the bottom three lines. Parker Kelly’s 21 goals would be tied for third on the Kings. He could play on the fourth line for the Avs.

The Kings did make a big splash for Artemi Panarin and then added Scott Laughton just before the deadline. Panarin and Adrian Kempe with Azne Kopitar between them is a very nice top line.

Byfield has been hot lately and is a strong No. 2 center. Colorado’s depth should be a massive advantage. Kevin Fiala and Andrei Kuzmenko would make this group look a lot more formidable, but both are injured any may not play in this series.

Advantage: Avalanche

Defense

Cale Makar missed some games with a minor injury, then returned and looked quite ready for the postseason. Will coach Jared Bednar start him with Devon Toews, or will he split them up? Brett Kulak has faced the Kings each of the past four postseasons with Edmonton. He could play with Makar and allow Toews to continue to skate with Sam Malinski, one of the breakout performers of the season.

Josh Manson missed the end of the regular season, but is expected to be ready for Sunday, and to be paired again with Brent Burns. The Avs led the NHL in offense from defensemen for the sixth consecutive season.

Drew Doughty and Mikey Anderson lead the Los Angeles blue line. Doughty is 36 and played the fewest minutes per game of his career. Brandt Clarke is an offensive specialist who the Avs are going to try to pin at his end of the ice. The Kings added both Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci this offseason to play in games like this. Colorado’s top forwards will be delighted to see them on the ice.

Advantage: Avalanche

Special teams

The power play has been Colorado’s weak link all season, but it’s been less of one since the Olympic break. The Avs finished 27th with the man advantage … but the Kings finished 28th. And Colorado was 16th at 21.4% with the extra man after the break.

Meanwhile, the Avs’ penalty kill has been consistently elite all season. Colorado finished first in the league on the PK. Los Angeles has the worst penalty kill in the playoffs — 30th overall this season, and last since the Olympic break at 67.9%. The Kings can be dangerous shorthanded, and that’s been an issue for the Avs at times this season.

Advantage: Avalanche

Goaltending

The Avs won the William Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest goals this season. Scott Wedgewood led the NHL in goals against average (2.02) and save percentage (.921). Mackenzie Blackwood started the year 13-1-1, but has scuffled at times in the second half of the season. Both just missed out on representing Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper was on that Canada team after a strong start to the season. He may not be in net Sunday against his former team, though. Anton Forsberg has taken control of the position, winning five straight starts down the stretch to help L.A. qualify for the playoffs before dropping the finale to Calgary. Forsberg has a .914 save percentage since the Olympic break, while Kuemper has an .867.

We could see all four goalies in this series.

Advantage: Avalanche

Avalanche vs. Kings: 5 storylines to watch

1. Who is in net? The biggest unknown for the Avs is how the goalie situation is going to work. Scott Wedgewood has been the better goalie for a long stretch now, but Mackenzie Blackwood is still the long-term No. 1 goalie for this organization. Jared Bednar has said he will continue to play both guys.

2. Befuddle Byfield? The Kings top line is very good. Quinton Byfield has 11 goals in the past 15 games and centers the club’s go-to shutdown line. This could be a coming out party for him nationally if he comports himself well against MacKinnon and Co. If the Avs can keep him in check and make the Kings a one-line team, that should make this a short series.

3. Corral Clarke? 23-year-old Brandt Clarke is the type of offensive defenseman who can change games. The Kings also try to shelter him with a lot of offensive zone starts. Similar to Byfield, containing Clarke is a path to shutting down the Kings’ offense.

4. Power up? The Kings have some of the worst special teams in the league, in both phases. They’ve also had issues on specials teams during the playoffs the past few years. Colorado’s power play had a great March, but PP1 was in the garage for most of April because of injuries to Cale Makar and Nazem Kadri. This could, even should, be a chance for the Avs to find some success on the power play. And going close to perfect on the PK in the series isn’t out of the question.

5. One trip? These Kings have had a weird year. The coach got fired. They won 35 games. Everyone has counted them out. But … they’ve been better with Artemi Panarin and since Anton Forsberg got hot. They will play all of the motivational cards — nobody believes in us, we have nothing to lose, let’s win one series for Azne Kopitar before he retires. The Avs need to take control of this series early, not let up and make one trip to sunny Southern California, not two.

Avalanche vs. Kings series predictions

Corey Masisak, beat writer:  Once upon a time at another publication, I picked the Kings to win the Stanley Cup in five games. My boss asked how I could pick them in such a short series and my response was “because I can’t pick them in three.” This is that type of series, as long as the Avalanche take care of business early and don’t let the Kings start to believe. The Kings will try to slow game down, drag the Avs down into the mud and make it as coin-flip in nature as possible. They’re going to hope Anton Forsberg stays hot. They have a few standout players, but the Avs are much deeper. It would take a lot of things going wrong for this to be a long series, and catastrophic-type stuff for the Kings to win. Kings won that Cup Final in five games, by the way. And it was over in three. Avs in five.

Sean Keeler, sports columnist:  What better way to start a 2022 nostalgia tour than by waving hello (and good-bye) to old friend Darcy Kuemper in the first round? Chances are the former Avs net-minder won’t play much, unless MacKinnon, Necas & Company batter Anton Forsberg, the Kings’ likely No. 1 goaltender, early. And they could. The Avalanche swept all three meetings this season by an average score of 4.3-1.7 and haven’t posted fewer than four goals in any tussle against the Kings since December 2023. L.A.’s only chance is to muck it up, slow it down, and try to make things as ugly as possible — the Kings feature the lowest-scoring offense of any postseason team at 2.68 goals per game. Context: The Avs averaged 2.36 goals by the end of the second period. Get ‘er done, get ‘er done quick, and rest up for the bare knuckle brawl that’s looming in the next round. Avs in five.

Troy Renck, sports columnist:  The President¶¶Òõap Trophy is a curse. But not in the first round. Not against the Kings. This is an ideal matchup for the Avs to work up a sweat before taking on the Dallas Stars. The Kings failed to manage a point against Colorado this season, outscored 13-5. The Kings received the interim coach boost – 11-6-6 – but they simply can’t score enough to avoid getting swept. Who is going to stop Nathan MacKinnon? Or Marty Necas? Or Cale Makar? No one, that’s who. Avs in four.

Lori Punko, deputy sports editor: The President’s Trophy winning Avs against the 20th best team in the NHL? It should — and most likely will — be a cakewalk for the Avs. Facing the Kings is a gift for MacKinnon & Company, but they need to take care of business and not look past this series to the winner of the Wild-Stars battle. Colorado got healthy at the right time, and if they dominate like they should, the Avs will be the better rested team going into the second round. Avs in five.

Kyle Newman, sportswriter:  Colorado makes an opening round statement: After winning the Presidents’ Trophy, they are in these playoffs to be the first winner of the trophy since the 2013 Blackhawks to also raise the Stanley Cup. Getting Cale Makar back from an upper-body injury that sidelined him for a few weeks down the stretch of the regular season is a boost to a roster already loaded with enough firepower to easily dismantle the Kings. The Avs will take care of business at home for a 2-0 lead in the series, then win a couple on the road to clinch the series by next Sunday in Los Angeles. The Kings put together a nice five-game win streak towards the end of the season, but their porous defense will be no match for the Avs’ top line of Nathan MacKinnon, Artturi Lehkonen and Martin Necas. Expect a lot of Colorado scoring blitzes in this series, as seen in the season opener when the Avs scored three second-period goals in a 4-1 win. Avs in four.

But Brett Kulak will.

While the Colorado Avalanche was finishing off a record-breaking regular season Thursday night with a 2-0 victory against the Seattle Kraken at Ball Arena, the Anaheim Ducks and Edmonton Oilers both won their final contests as well. That chain of events means the Avs will face the Kings in the opening round.

It also means Kulak will face them for a fifth consecutive year. Game 1 is Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Ball Arena.

“That’s pretty crazy,” Kulak said. “They had a little bit different-looking teams each year, and they competed hard. I know there were multiple times when we were down in the series. They had us on the ropes a few times. That’s just how the playoffs work sometimes.”

The Kings have not won a playoff series since lifting the Stanley Cup in 2014. Edmonton has knocked them out in the first round four years running, though Los Angeles did have a lead in three of the four series.

Scott Wedgewood made 22 saves Thursday night against the Kraken and pitched his fourth shutout of the season. He and Mackenzie Blackwood secured the William Jennings Trophy as the Avs allowed the fewest goals in the league — 25 fewer than the Dallas Stars.

Wedgewood became the first goalie in franchise history to lead the NHL in both goals-against average (2.02) and save percentage (.921). Patrick Roy led the league in GAA in 2001-02, but no Avs/Nordiques netminder had finished first in save percentage.

The Avs clinched the Presidents’ Trophy as the regular-season NHL champions a week ago, but the win against Seattle established a new franchise record with 121 points — two more than 2021-22 club.

“A solid, solid season,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “Consistent, not too many lulls where we didn’t play very close to the we could play. … I thought it was a focused group from start to finish. And now the fun stuff starts.”

Wedgewood was one of the best stories of the regular season for the Avs, but so too was Parker Kelly. He added another goal Thursday night, stretching his career-best total to 21 to go along with 35 points. Kelly, who earned a four-year, $6.8 million contract extension in July that runs through 2030 after one season with the club, had more goals this season than he had points in any of his first three NHL seasons.

A host of regulars did not play for the Avs against Seattle, but Bednar said everyone on the active roster will be available Sunday when the Kings come to town. Nick Blankenburg, who will likely slide back to No. 7 on the defensive depth chart, had the first goal against the Kraken — his second in four games. He also had another disallowed by an offsides challenge.

While the Avs raced to a historic 31-2-7 start, there were some mixed results in the second half of the season. Colorado was still able to eventually cruise to a division title, top seed in the Western Conference and home-ice advantage throughout the postseason, but the Stars did narrow the gap shortly after the Olympic break.

But, then the Avs finished the campaign with an 11-3-1 run and left no doubt.

“I’m happy with our finish,” Bednar said. “Guys finished strong. I’m happy with where our team’s at going into this. Get them rest here, get them up to speed on L.A. and turn them loose.”

Here’s the full schedule and how to watch each game as the Avs embark on their 2026 playoff run starting Sunday at Ball Arena.

Avs vs. Kings playoff schedule

Game 1: 1 p.m. Sunday, April 19, Los Angeles at Colorado, ALT, TNT, truTV, HBO MAX (Final: Avs 2, Kings 1)
Game 2: 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 21, Los Angeles at Colorado, ALT, ESPN (Final: Avs 2, Kings 1)Ìý
Game 3: 8 p.m. Thursday, April 23, Colorado at Los Angeles, ALT, TNT, truTV, HBO MAX (Final: Avs 4, Kings 2)
Game 4: 2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 26, Colorado at Los Angeles, ALT, TNT, truTV, HBO MAX
*Game 5: TBD Wednesday, April 29,  Los Angeles at Colorado
*Game 6: TBD Friday, May 1, Colorado at Los Angeles
*Game 7: TBD Sunday, May 3, Los Angeles at Colorado
*If necessary

“The Lumberyard” has been so effective this season that Wedgewood actually had a bigger cushion than he realized.

Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood will win the William Jennings Trophy for the 2025-26 season, which is awarded to the team which allows the fewest goals in the season. Goaltenders must play 25-plus games to be part of the award, so the Colorado Avalanche tandem will both have their names on the trophy, which has been awarded since 1982.

“No, honestly it’s super cool,” Wedgewood said. “I mean, getting your name on NHL trophy, regardless of whatever it is, it’s obviously a dream to win something. And to do it with him, with our friendship and story and this team, obviously it’s really cool.”

Colorado entered the final night of the season with 197 goals allowed — 25 fewer than the second-best, the Dallas Stars. The NHL uses the official standings, which include a “goal” awarded for shootout wins and losses. So, officially, the Avs allowed 203 goals in the first 81 games, which was still 23 fewer than the Stars’ official total.

It is only the second time Colorado has won the Jennings Trophy. Patrick Roy was awarded the trophy in 2001-02.

“I like it a lot,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “It was one of our goals at the start of the year. We’ve always been a dangerous offensive team, and we’ve been proud of that over the years. Then improving on the defensive side of it, so we become a stingier and harder team to play against, is like goal No. 1. So that one means a lot, and it’s good for those guys. They’ve both been exceptional for us all year. The team has defended really well and consistently in front of them. I like that award as much as any other one.”

Previously teammates in the New Jersey Devils organization, the Avalanche traded for both goalies in a 10-day span last season. It was the first time in NHL history that a club had traded away both of its opening-night goaltenders before Christmas.

Dubbed “The Lumberyard,” the duo changed the course of Colorado’s goaltending situation immediately last year and have played a huge part in helping the club win the Presidents’ Trophy this season. On the day the Avs traded for Wedgewood, Colorado had the worst save percentage in the NHL.

Since that day, the Avs are sixth overall and will finish first this season.

“It’s really cool,” Avs forward Jack Drury said. “They’ve both played so well all year. It’s really deserving. I think as a tandem, they’ve been really good too. I think having two good goalies is a real privilege, and I think we’re very lucky.”

Wedgewood, 33, has been one of the great stories in the NHL this season. He started 11 of the first 12 games because of a Blackwood injury, and is going to finish the year as the league leader in GAA and save percentage among qualified goalies.

Blackwood, 29, started his season on fire, going 13-1-1 before the calendar flipped to 2026. Both goalies were in strong consideration for Canada’s Olympic team. Blackwood ended up being the first alternate if any of the three picked had sustained an injury just before the tournament.

He has struggled at times since Jan. 1, and it seems likely that Wedgewood will start Game 1 of the club’s opening-round playoff series. But Bednar has made it clear that both will play.

“We’ve got a great team and we control a lot of the play, but we’ve still got to do our job,” Wedgewood said. “It’s not like you just stand out there and you get participation trophies. So to be a big part of it, not just play the bare minimum or anything, I’m proud of it for myself and proud of him. We’ve worked at it all year. We’ve improved our games. We battled each other. One of the things you cherish from this sport for a long time is just winning something and being at the top of the league.”

FOOTNOTES: Bednar will return to the bench Thursday night after missing the past two games because of injuries sustained when a puck hit him in the face Saturday night against Vegas. Several regulars will sit out the season finale. Nazem Kadri (finger) and Josh Manson (undisclosed) have missed games beyond this one with injuries, but Bednar said he expects everyone on the active roster to be available for Game 1, which the NHL announced is Sunday at Ball Arena, time to be determined.

The Avs beat the Flames 3-1 on Thursday at Ball Arena, securing the Presidents’ Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs. MacKenzie Blackwood stopped 29 shots before finally yielding a goal late, while Gabe Landeskog, Martin Necas and Nathan MacKinnon all lit the lamp in a game that was not as close as the score indicated.

This is the fourth time that Colorado has claimed the honor for the most points in the NHL’s regular season, joining the 1997, 2001 and 2021 teams. Only one of those teams, the ’01 squad, ended up winning the Stanley Cup.

Of the 37 previous teams to win the Presidents’ Trophy since its inception in 1986, eight have gone on to win the Stanley Cup, with the most recent being the 2013 Blackhawks. So the work for the championship-or-bust Avs — who clinched the Central Division title and the top spot in the Western Conference with a win in St. Louis on Tuesday — is far from over.

“It’s not the trophy we’re looking for,” an even-keeled Necas said from a Colorado locker room short on any sort of celebration, “but it’s a good start.”

On Thursday, it wasn’t near the shellacking that Colorado put on Calgary in the teams’ last meeting two weeks ago, when the Avs scored five times in the opening period to cruise to a 9-2 win. But once again, the Avs were in command for most of the night.

Colorado dominated the possession and chances early, recording the game’s first eight shots on goal. The Avs finally broke through in the waning minutes of the period, taking advantage of a power play with a goal by Landeskog with just over a minute left.

On Wednesday, Landeskog was nominated by the Colorado chapter of the PHWA which is presented annually to the player who “best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.” Fresh off that honor, Landeskog took a tic-tac-toe pass from Necas and MacKinnon, with the latter finding Landeskog wide open on the weak side of the net for an easy-money 1-0 lead.

Landeskog echoed Necas’ sentiment, noting that winning the Presidents’ Trophy can only mean so much for a group that has had tunnel vision on raising the Stanley Cup. The Avs’ captain added that he believes this year’s team is “more experienced than that (2021 Presidents’ Cup team), and hungrier than that one.

“It obviously means we’ve had a great regular season and we’re the top team after 82 games, but at the end of the day going into the playoffs, it doesn’t really mean much,” Landeskog said. “Everybody is going to start fresh, 0-0, and you get a chance to prove yourself again.

“It fuels us knowing that we’ve won a lot of hockey games in a lot of different ways, because I think that’s important to remember.”

In the second, Colorado added to its lead with a slick goal by Necas. Off assists from MacKinnon and Brent Burns with about five minutes left in the period, Necas skated his way through the heart of the Calgary defense, splitting a pair of Flames defenders before beating a sprawling Dustin Wolf on the top right shelf.

The play left Wolf facedown on the ice in disbelief for a few moments and gave Colorado a 2-0 lead.

With his assist to Necas, MacKinnon moved into third all-time on the franchise’s single-season point list, passing Peter Stastny’s 124. MacKinnon holds the team’s all-time record, with 140 points in 2023-24, and the Hall of Famer Stastny is second with 139 with Quebec in 1981-82.

“(MacKinnon) has been dominant for us from the very first game, and I expect that to continue (in the playoffs),” Landeskog said.

In the third, the Avs defense cinched down and allowed Calgary very few legitimate chances to get on the board. The Flames finally scored with just under three minutes to go, as Tyson Gross found the net in a six-on-five scenario with Wolf pulled.

With Wolf still on the bench, Gross scored again with 1:29 left, but the goal was wiped off when the Flames were ruled offside after a challenge from the Avalanche. MacKinnon then scored his NHL-best 52nd goal of the season on an empty net with 54 seconds left, setting a new career high.

Colorado has four regular-season games remaining, including two at home against Vegas on Saturday and Seattle on April 16. Avs head coach Jared Bednar said he and his staff will formulate a plan to get Colorado rested and ready for the start of the playoffs.

Bednar says he’d like to see Cale Makar, who has been sidelined for a couple weeks with an upper-body injury, return to action before the playoffs. Meanwhile Nazem Kadri, who is dealing with a finger injury, is “a day-to-day process.”

As for MacKinnon, Bednar says the Avs’ catalyst will be in the lineup if MacKinnon wants to play, and the same thing for Necas.

“We’ve got some guys that have been out of the lineup that I think we need to continue to play, regardless of their stature on our team and how many minutes they’ve played,” Bednar said. “We’ve got some guys that probably could use a break. We’ve got some guys chasing milestones (and awards).

“(In the next couple days), we’ll try to come up with a plan for the last four games, and the last three games for sure, on who we want to rest, how we’re going to do that, and who we can call up (from the AHL’s Colorado Eagles).”

Nobody eats Taco Bell to soothe their belly.

And no whining if you get hacked when your password is “Password.”

Some things are obvious — and require no explanation or debate.

This is where the Avs goalie position stands after watching Scott Wedgewood stand on his head since returning from the Olympic break.

And yet Jared Bednar seems prepared to ignore logic.

Stop messing with Wedgie, already.

Asked about naming a playoff starter after Wedgewood shut out the Dallas Stars last weekend, Bednar answered like a coach handing out varsity letters.

“I feel confident in both of our guys. It¶¶Òõap not likely going to be just one guy,” Bednar said.

Come on. Don’t treat Wedgewood like he’s a vagabond with marginal talent.

All he has done all season is meet the moment.

Wedgewood performed routine calisthenics Tuesday night, his 18 saves part of a 3-1 suffocating victory over the St. Louis Blues. It clinched the Central Division title and the top seed in the Western Conference.

Everything is falling into place for a Stanley Cup run, except in the net. There is no reason to continue rotating the goalies. No argument for a timeshare.

Bednar needs to follow the lead of former Broncos coach Gary Kubiak. He steered the Broncos to a Super Bowl 50 title by navigating tricky quarterback drama with decisiveness and transparency.

It remains the best coaching job I have covered in 36 years.

He kept the door ajar for Peyton Manning, even as the future Hall of Famer lost his patience, flipping off the camera for Kubiak to see as he studied the quarterback’s rehab reps. He also showed confidence in Brock Osweiler, announcing to the team and the media that he was the starter each week, including when Manning returned to the active roster.

When it came time to rescue homefield advantage in the season finale, Manning came off the bench, his brilliant mind making the difference in the win over the Chargers.

Kubiak recognized what had become a reality: Manning, even compromised by age and a foot injury, brought out the best in the team.

This is happening again. At Ball Arena. And it needs to be recognized with a firm decision.

Wedgewood will never be confused with Manning. But the circumstances are similar. Teams with two quarterbacks have none. Teams with two goalies need one.

The evidence is overwhelming in Wedgewood’s favor.

Since resuming after the NHL’s Italian sojourn, Wedgewood boasts a 9-2-1 record with a .938 save percentage. Mackenzie Blackwood is 6-7 with an .863 mark, though he has flashed dominance during this stretch.

When Bednar says both have been “fantastic” this season, he is right. But then he said this, and was all wrong.

“I don’t know why we would change it, come playoff time,” Bednar said.

Here is a reason. Follow the numbers. One goalie is acing the test and the other is getting a B.

It traces back to Jan. 1. Wedgewood is 12-5-2 in the new year. When anyone else is the goalie of record, the Avs are 9-9-0. This is not an equation for Will Hunting.

Wedgewood is a candidate for the Vezina Trophy as the game’s top goalie. Which makes general manager Chris MacFarland inking him to a one-year, $2.5 million contract extension in November his shrewdest move of the season.

Wedgewood leads the NHL at 2.10 goals against. Blackwood ranks 10th at 2.58. He is no slouch. And it always feels like the Avs, Bednar included, want him to start.

But he needs to be insurance, a reliable breather to keep Wedgewood fresh through June 21.

Bednar has made a point of not using Wedgewood’s journeyman history against him. He earned more playing time, and no qualifiers were placed on his success, like puck luck, or an average netminder just getting hot.

Dividing games in the playoffs, however, suggests a lack of trust, fair or not.

Doubt is the last thing needed when facing the Stars, for instance.

Last Saturday’s victory was more important for the psyche than the points. Colorado played efficiently and, unlike two weeks prior, was rewarded rather than demoralized.

Wedgewood was in the net. This cannot be dismissed or overlooked. He is 2-0 against Dallas this season, the expected second-round opponent, with a .925 save percentage. Blackwood has managed only 21-plus minutes of ice time against the Stars, yielding four goals in 11 shots.

So why is this even a conversation?

For starters, Blackwood looks like a playoff starter straight out of Hollywood casting. He fills the net like a walrus, standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 225 pounds. He can steal a game.

For whatever reason, though, the defense has not played as well recently in front of him. That is not his fault, but it is a fact.

Wedgewood, meanwhile, has always been a backup — meaning it would be easier to go to him if Blackwood melted down in the playoffs.

Wedgewood also plays a little chaotically. He pounces, shifts, and slides, his 6-foot-2, 201-pound frame sometimes looking like a fox “mousing” for prey in the snow.

It is a little unorthodox. But it is working.

So Bednar needs to let the line out a little bit, give him some slack. He deserves it. And without polling every member privately, my assumption is that his teammates know it.

This is important. Not committing to Wedgewood creates the potential for controversy, for the 33-year-old to look over his shoulder after one bad game.

This does not mean put Blackwood in the cooler. He will be needed. Everyone plays a role in a championship season, and sometimes sacrificing minutes is the greatest contribution.

Working in the Avs’ favor is that the “Lumber Yard” goalies get along famously. There is no tension. Neither one will make it weird if the other starts.

There is no reason not to give Wedgewood more time. Even as Bednar takes his time.

Bednar owns a ring and has established himself as a calming influence.

But the playoffs offer narrow margins. Legacies are shaped. Decisions are amplified.

So why not follow Kubiak’s blueprint and make an easy one?

Make Wedgewood the guy. And watch him put on the mask and conceal the most recent playoff failures.

The Avs had just checked off two of their three most-important goals for the regular season in one fell swoop. Colorado clinched the Central Division title and the top spot in the Western Conference with a 3-1 victory against the St. Louis Blues.

It was eight years to the day that Gabe Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon helped the Avs return to the playoffs by defeating these Blues at Ball Arena in a Game 82, winner-take-all showdown for a golden ticket to the NHL’s postseason tournament. This was a very different postgame atmosphere.

It felt like another Tuesday night in a season full of them. Landeskog even feigned ignorance about what they had just accomplished.

“We’re not all the way there yet,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “The goal for us started with winning the division and the conference (but) we still need another win to get first overall. We’d be crazy not to chase that at this point. It’s important, if you get to where you want to go, you might as well try and get your home ice, especially after a season like this.

“It feels great. I mean, we’re not throwing parades or that kind of stuff yet so, but we’re happy with where we’re at. We should celebrate it a little bit, because it’s a big goal of ours to start the year and we’ve accomplished part of it.”

For a group that has been in Stanley Cup or bust mode for at least the past six seasons, the Avs have kept the focus on what got them here — the process that led to a historic 31-2-7 start, and allows them to lock in and dominate a desperate team with far more motivation to show up and play well on a Tuesday night like this one.

How they played against the Blues was more important than celebrating a season-long accomplishment.

“Our focus has been trying to get our game to a point where we feel really about it defensively and offensively,” Landeskog said. “I really liked our game (Tuesday) night. I thought all four lines checked really hard. We created a lot of scoring chances. In the third period, I though we gave up a little bit too much, but they’re desperate. They’re playing for their lives at that point.”

The Avs are only 20-14-3 since that historic march to 69 points in 40 games. There have been lots of injuries. When two of their top-eight skaters (Cale Makar, Devon Toews, Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, Artturi Lehkonen, Brock Nelson, Valeri Nichushkin and Landeskog) are missing, the Avs are 9-10-3.

When one or none is missing, the Avs are 11-4-0 since the white-hot start. That version of the Avalanche is still in there. Colorado showed it Saturday afternoon in Dallas, and again Tuesday night in St. Louis.

It was the third game in four nights against a red-hot team trying to make a miracle save of its season. The Avs came out and suffocated St. Louis for the first two periods.

“I don’t have to see it for 60 minutes for every game the rest of the way,” Bednar said. “But we need to see it enough to secure our goals and making sure everyone is confident in the way we play and the trust you have in your teammates that you can do it the right way. That’s another big step for us (Tuesday) night.”

Bednar made it clear there is still one more to go. The Avs need some combination of two points gained or two lost by the Carolina Hurricanes to wrap up the Presidents’ Trophy and home-ice advantage through the Stanley Cup Final.

Beyond that, the Avs’ main goals through the final five games will be to get everyone as healthy as possible, and hopefully see a couple of strong outings from Mackenzie Blackwood, who has scuffled recently. There wasn’t a celebratory vibe in the cramped visitors locker room at Enterprise Center, but the Avs know one thing they’ve earned — fewer nights in small, unfamiliar rooms like this one once the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin.

“There’s no do or die for it, but if you have the opportunity, you’re going to take it,” goalie Scott Wedgewood said after another strong start. “Home ice is super important. It’s an advantage. You spend more days at home in between rounds.

“Hopefully that will pay dividends for us.”