Hutchinson perseveres, keeps Avalanche alive in Western Second Round

Michael Hutchinson's biggest fan broke out into a huge smile when she saw a familiar face on TV at the family home in Winnipeg on Tuesday morning.

"Daddy!" Lilah Hutchinson said gleefully, pointing at the image of the Colorado Avalanche goalie on the screen.
Lilah is 18 months old so she was in bed when her dad won his first career Stanley Cup Playoff game on Monday night with the Avalanche facing elimination. She didn't get to see Hutchinson make 31 saves for the Avalanche in a 6-3 win to stay alive against the Dallas Stars in Game 5 of the Western Conference Second Round in Edmonton.
But mom Jenna, Michael's wife, made certain their daughter would share in what was the pinnacle of her father's seven-year NHL career.
"I made sure we watched the highlights together in the morning and her face lit up when she saw him," Jenna said Tuesday. "I'm not sure how much at her age she understands what is going on, but I do know how proud she is of him. We all are."
They have reason to be.
Hutchinson, 30, started the playoffs as the Avalanche's third goalie behind Philipp Grubauer and Pavel Francouz. He had backed up Francouz since the second period of Game 1 against the Stars, when Grubauer was injured.
Francouz allowed five goals on 26 shots in a 5-4 loss in Game 4 on Sunday before being replaced in the third period by Hutchinson, who made three saves in his NHL playoff debut. After the game, he texted Jenna that coach Jared Bednar told him he'd start Monday in place of Francouz, who was unfit to play.
Bednar said Tuesday he would not reveal his starter for Game 6 with the Avalanche facing elimination again in the best-of-7 series in Edmonton, the West hub city, on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS).
"I was kind of expecting the performance we got from him, to be honest, and hoping he can repeat it a few more times.," Bednar said.
Jenna would love to see that, although she's ready for another emotional ride.
"Monday was so exciting but so nerve-wracking," said Jenna, who was a goalie at the University of Manitoba. "Because I play the position, I know how tough it can be. It was just so amazing to see him have that success.
"It means so much. You have to understand: He's played in so many different places in his life, hit so many obstacles and always kept going with a smile on his face. He deserved last night so much."

Lloyd Hutchinson, Michael's father, couldn't agree more.
As he and his wife Carol Ann watched their son's special night at their home in Barrie, Ontario, 50 miles north of Toronto, Lloyd thought about how much his son has persevered in the quest to have and maintain a hockey career.
"I remember when he was 12 or 13 years old, he played on a summer team called the Ontario Blues," he said. "His teammates included John Tavares, Alex Pietrangelo, Steven Stamkos, Cody Hodgson and Michael Del Zotto. It was so much fun for the kids and the parents. No egos whatsoever.
"All of them made the NHL and so did Michael. But his career, I mean, it's been like a road map of North America. He's seen most of the continent. Since he's been a teenager, he's played in places like Orangeville (Ontario), Reading (Pennsylvania), Ontario (California), Barrie, Providence, you name it. He's never taken it for granted. And he's never given up on his NHL dream.
"That's why last night was so great. I can't tell you how many texts I got during and after the game. We were both nervous and thrilled. He's paid his dues."

Hutchinson was selected in the third round (No. 77) by the Boston Bruins in the 2008 NHL Draft but spent his entire career with the organization in the minors. He signed with the Winnipeg Jets as a free agent in 2013 and played 102 games with them, going 43-39-11 from 2014-18 under coach Paul Maurice.
"I'm driving right now in Northern Ontario near Lake of the Woods and the landscape here kind of reminds me of his career -- sometimes up, sometimes down, sometimes rocky," Maurice said Tuesday night. "He had his strong moments for us but eventually Connor Hellebuyck emerged and that was that.
"I'll tell you what impresses me -- this guy grinds. He never gives up. He was in the spotlight in Toronto which is such a tough place, and he survived. And that's what impressed me and makes me so happy for him about last night. He fought his way, and it finally paid dividends."
Hutchinson played in 20 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2018-20, going 6-12-0 as Frederik Andersen's backup. After he was in goal for a 5-3 loss against the New York Rangers on Feb. 5, the Maple Leafs acquired Jack Campbell from the Los Angeles Kings to assume the role.
"We were sitting on the team charter together coming home from New York when the trade was made," said Jamie McGuire, who's been Hutchinson's goaltending consultant since he was 13. "They were having something called a mentor's trip where players could bring someone along who'd been influential in their lives and he brought me.
"Can you imagine finding out something like that on the plane? But Michael never whined. In fact, the first thing he said was that he was worried for Jack because Toronto was such a hard place to play at times. That's Michael for you. Thinking of others."

The Maple Leafs traded Hutchinson to the Avalanche for defenseman Calle Rosen on Feb. 24. He played one game for Colorado before the NHL season was paused March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus, making 17 saves in a 2-1 win at the Detroit Red Wings on March 2.
He became the 14th goalie to win his first Stanley Cup Playoff start and avoid elimination.
"Now he got his chance and I'm so thrilled for him," McGuire said. "He's 30 years old but he was like a kid after the game Monday, texting me telling me how awesome it was.
"I run a goalie camp in Toronto (McGuire Goaltending + Hockey Development) and on the website home page is a photo of Michael accompanied by the words 'DREAMS DO COME TRUE.' On Monday they did for him. And I couldn't be happier for him."
He's not alone.