Avalanche Crushed 7-2 by Penguins in Blowout Loss

Colorado's defense and goaltending collapse in embarrassing home defeat

Mar. 17, 2026 at 5:09am

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The Colorado Avalanche suffered one of their worst performances of the season, losing 7-2 to the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins at Ball Arena. Both Avalanche goalies struggled, with starter Scott Wedgewood getting pulled just seven minutes into the game after allowing three goals on five shots. The Avalanche defense also broke down repeatedly, leading to several Penguins goals on odd-man rushes and defensive lapses. Colorado's offense was limited as well, managing only 27 shots on goal over the full 60 minutes.

Why it matters

The lopsided loss is a concerning development for the Avalanche, who had built a once-massive lead in the Central Division. This blowout defeat, coupled with recent struggles, raises questions about whether Colorado can maintain its position atop the standings as the playoffs approach.

The details

The Penguins scored three goals in the opening seven minutes to chase Wedgewood from the net, with Anthony Mantha, Evgeni Malkin, and others exploiting defensive breakdowns. The Avalanche were unable to mount a comeback, managing just 10 shots on goal over the final two periods. Colorado's power play also struggled, failing to capitalize on an early opportunity that could have swung the momentum.

  • The Penguins scored three goals on five shots in the first 7 minutes of the game.
  • The Avalanche only generated 17 shots on goal in the first period.

The players

Scott Wedgewood

The Avalanche starting goaltender, who was pulled early after allowing three goals on five shots.

Evgeni Malkin

The Penguins veteran center, who scored two goals in the blowout win.

Cale Makar

The Avalanche defenseman, who was on the ice for one of the Penguins' early goals.

Jared Bednar

The Avalanche head coach, who criticized his team's defensive breakdowns and lack of offensive urgency.

Nathan MacKinnon

The Avalanche star forward, who acknowledged the team's struggles with new lineup combinations due to injuries.

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What they’re saying

“That start is not on (Wedgewood) at all. Like, what's he going to do? Some of the chances that we're giving up are guys all alone at the net front, kind of the same as Edmonton. We fixed it for Winnipeg and then it's back again tonight.”

— Jared Bednar, Head Coach (Denver Gazette)

“We've just been making so many mistakes. We got a lot of new guys and a lot of old guys out, so it's tough. Seven (defensemen), I don't love seven (defensemen). I think different pairs every shift isn't great. Different forward times a lot of the time with 11, so the flow is off for sure.”

— Nathan MacKinnon (Denver Gazette)

What’s next

The Avalanche will look to bounce back quickly as they host the Dallas Stars on Wednesday in a crucial Central Division matchup.

The takeaway

This blowout loss highlights the Avalanche's defensive and goaltending vulnerabilities, which could prove problematic as they try to maintain their division lead and gear up for the playoffs. The team will need to quickly shore up its defensive play and special teams if it hopes to avoid more embarrassing defeats down the stretch.