Mackenzie Blackwood’s third regulation loss since joining the Avalanche was the first game he allowed more than two goals. Despite making 24 saves on 28 shots, Colorado failed to maintain a three-goal lead and lost 4-3 to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night.

Blackwood stopped 23 of 27 shots in Thursday's 4-3 loss to the Oilers.

His path from prospect to potential Vezina Trophy candidate was non-linear, and included some dark days. But, beyond some better fortune with his health, one of the biggest realizations in his development was his ability to make flashy saves was not going to make him the consistent goaltender he wanted to be.

Since the Colorado Avalanche acquired Mackenzie Blackwood from the San Jose Sharks on Dec. 9, the team has been one of the hottest in the NHL, winning nine of 12 games and catapulting themselves into a playoff position in the new year.

Patrolling crease versus Oilers

Jared Bednar wasn’t happy with his team’s performance on Tuesday and made that clear postgame. But the Avalanche were still victorious, erasing a late third-period deficit before getting another overtime game-winning goal from Devon Toews.

But Colorado’s NHL team has long had a reputation for being a quiet bunch in the locker room, even when this group reached the top of the mountain in 2022. The 2024-25 edition started the season slow, bogged down by injuries and poor goaltending. It weighed on everyone. A generally quiet room seemed even more so at times.

Mackenzie Blackwood only let in one goal on the one-month anniversary of the day he was traded to the Avalanche. And the team playing in front of him — the one that feels confident with the new goalie manning the crease — scored six times against a divisional rival sitting ahead of them in the Central.

DENVER -- Artturi Lehkonen had two goals and two assists for the Colorado Avalanche in a 6-3 win against the Dallas Stars at Ball Arena on Saturday. Cale Makar scored twice, including his 100th NHL goal in his 362nd game, becoming the sixth-fastest defenseman in League history to reach the milestone.

Jonathan Toews scored with 36.1 seconds left in overtime and the Colorado Avalanche rallied for a 3-2 win Tuesday night against the New York Rangers at Ball Arena.

The Edmonton Oilers are in town for a Western Conference matchup as the Colorado Avalanche continue their five-game homestand. The Oilers will play their second game of a back-to-back tonight after taking a 5-3 win over the Minnesota Wild.

Colorado is 8-1-1 in its last 10 games, averaging 3.8 goals, as it heads to the United Center to play the Blackhawks on Wednesday night.