Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon in, Mackenzie Blackwood to start for must-win Game 4

LAS VEGAS — The Colorado Avalanche will have Nathan MacKinnon — perhaps close to full strength, to hear coach Jared Bednar tell it — for Tuesday night’s must-win Game 4 of the Western Conference final.

They’ll also have a new goaltender.

Bednar is pushing the last button he has left to push, swapping in Mackenzie Blackwood for Scott Wedgewood as the Avalanche attempt to claw their way out of a 3-0 series hole against the Vegas Golden Knights. Blackwood hasn’t played since getting pulled after the first period of Game 5 of the second round.

“I feel like if he’s loose and confident and playing his game, he has the ability to not only win us games, but steal us games,” Bednar said. “We’re at 0-3 in the series, so it’s not a desperation move, it’s just you’ve got to make a change and see if something else works. We felt confident in both guys all year long. I felt like Wedge earned the net in (Games) 1 and 2, and we gave him the shot in (Game) 3 and we didn’t get it done. It’s not on him, either; it’s on our team. But we’re just looking for Blackie to come in and play to the best of his ability and be loose and have fun. The whole team’s kind of in that mode right now, and if (he does) that, you might see the best of him.”

That “loosen up” idea was Bednar’s message during a team meeting on Monday night that featured no video and no tactical discussions. It was a “conversation” about perspective, motivation and getting “mentally prepared” for the massive challenge ahead. Tuesday morning’s meeting was more about the X’s and O’s.

It’ll certainly be easier for the Avalanche to feel loose and confident if MacKinnon — who was badly hobbled in Game 3 after blocking a Shea Theodore slap shot with his right knee — can be anything close to 100 percent. MacKinnon will play in Game 4. Valeri Nichushkin, who also was injured in Game 3, is questionable.

“I think we’ll be able to use him (normally),” Bednar said of MacKinnon. “He’s feeling a lot better today. We’ll see when he gets on the ice tonight and what the game brings, but he’s feeling pretty good today and feels like he’ll be ready to go.”

Wedgewood and Blackwood have split the net all season, and both have played in this playoff run. Blackwood started the season as the No. 1, but Wedgewood took the job by leading the league in save percentage. Combined, they won the Jennings Trophy as the league’s stingiest goaltending tandem.

In the playoffs, Wedgewood is 7-4 with a .904 save percentage, while Blackwood is 1-0 (in three appearances) with an .872 save percentage.

“(We have) the utmost confidence (in them), the way that they handled the entire year together and early on in these playoffs, too,” defenseman Cale Makar said. “For us, regardless of who’s in, we know they’re going to do an amazing job and the best they possibly can. I’ve got utmost faith in (Blackwood). He’s a gamer.”