ST. PAUL, Minn. — Make no mistake, Jesper Wallstedt wanted to be back in net. The rookie goaltender for the Wild, who allowed a career-high eight goals in Game 1, hoped to get a chance to redeem himself in Tuesday’s Game 2. However, coach John Hynes informed the 23-year-old Swede the day before that he would not start, with Filip Gustavsson getting the surprise nod.
Based on Wallstedt’s demeanor after Tuesday’s morning skate, he appeared slightly frustrated. But that likely reflected his competitive nature. Wallstedt said the coaching staff explained their reasoning, which helped him put it into perspective.
“Obviously, you want to play every game, but I also understood why,” Wallstedt told reporters on Friday. “I thought it was valid. I was ready. It was just one game, too. I felt like I played a lot of good hockey, especially before. There were some goals I wanted back. It wasn’t my best game. But it’s only one loss either way — it doesn’t matter if it was a 1-0 game or 3-2 game or 9-6 game. You just have to bounce back.”
When asked about the specific reasons Hynes gave, such as providing a mental reset, Wallstedt declined to go into details. But he acknowledged it made sense.
“It was a smart play,” Wallstedt said. “It was good timing to get Gus in to play as well. Obviously, when you give up eight goals, it’s a good reason to try another goalie. No hard feelings about that.”
Hynes officially announced that Wallstedt will return as the starter for Game 3 on Saturday morning. Once again, the decision makes sense. Wallstedt was instrumental in helping the Wild reach the second round for the first time in a decade. His confidence, calmness, and clutch performances have impressed teammates and staff alike.
Now Wallstedt has a chance to prove he can rebound after a tough loss.
“Whatever happens for Game 3, Game 1 was a good learning experience,” Wallstedt said. “I’ve played Colorado before, and that was just a different game. I didn’t play my best hockey. You reset, you look at stuff. It’s just like everything else — like the penalty kill, the power play. I look at things to get better at.
“Everyone tries to become better from the games we played. There’s some stuff I can adjust to if I’m playing them again. It just makes me a better goalie.”
The Avalanche seemed to find a spot at the left circle, a scoring area, as Nazem Kadri noted, where they beat Wallstedt several times in Game 1. However, not all shots came from the same location, and Wallstedt dismissed any notion after the game that it was a pattern.
Wallstedt felt Game 1 was an anomaly for both teams, given the rare 9-6 scoreline. Minnesota was coming off an emotional Game 6 win over Dallas three nights earlier, so the Wild have had more time to reset and prepare over the past three days.
“I thought our last game was a lot tighter,” Wallstedt said. “That was a game that could have gone either way. I think our five-on-five play is really good. (Friday) we got to work on special teams a bit. I think it’ll be an even better Game 3 now.”
Wallstedt’s confidence remains intact, as he has experience beating the Avalanche during the regular season. The Wild trail 2-0 in the best-of-seven series, but Hynes noted that things can “change in a heartbeat.”
“It’s not like they’re impossible to beat,” Wallstedt said. “It seems like everyone thinks they’re some unbeatable team. They’re really good, obviously, but so are we. We just have to look at the details, see some things we can improve as a group. And that’s what we’re doing.”
