Avalanche Blow One With Nichushskin Gone

The Colorado Avalanche played the Dallas Stars and look to crawl within two points of first place in the Central Division.

They have done this all without the help of one star or another throughout the season. The latest loss to injury was Josh Manson after tweaking his old injury in the last game. Mason was only back for six games after being out for over thirty games. Valeri Nichushkin was out due to an illness after missing several stints due to injury. 

First Period 

Colorado started the game flat, not being able to get the puck out of their own zone. Dallas came into the contest very physically and would not allow the Avalanche to set any plays up at all. Delayed penalties and the inability to clear the zone by the Avalanche would break open the scoring for the Stars in the first. Jason Robertson would crash right through the slot and snap it over the shoulder of goaltender Alexandar Georgiev. And for those who say face-off wins don’t matter, the next goal is exactly how Dallas did it. Jamie Benn won the face-off to get it back to Miro Heiskanen at the point and snap it in from the blue line. Samuel Girard would get the only goal for the Avalanche in the first, but it wouldn’t be too long before Joe Pavelski would essentially erase their goal. 

Second Period

The Stars continued their aggressive play into the second period with a goal by Mason Marchment only about five minutes into the period. Not more than halfway through the period Dallas would strike once more with a fourth-line Radek Faksa goal. For the second time this year, coach Jared Bednar decided to pull the goalie. Keith Kinkaid, who was acquired in a deal to trade Shane Bowers away, came in to at least slow the bleeding. 

Third Period 

Not much would change in the game as the onslaught continued by the Stars. Wyatt Johnston stole the puck right off of Denis Malgin’ stick and chipped it in for an easy goal to take a 6-1 lead over the Avalanche. Girard tried to fight back with a shot on goal that Andrew Cogliano read perfectly and set up for the rebound. After a power play that was set up by a fight between Benn and Logan O’Connor, Evan Rodrigues sent a slap shot to the back of the net to snap an 11-game scoreless streak. The Dallas Stars would top it off with an empty net goal by Robertson to make it 7-3. 

Around Full Press Hockey

NHL: Four Crucial Areas For Maple Leafs The Rest Of This Regular Season

NHL Rumors: NHL Rumors: New Jersey Devils Trade Targets

NHL: NHL All Star Game Thoughts and Possible Changes

NFL: What Eddie Robinson Told Doug Williams After He Made History 35 Years Ago

Full Press Bets: Early 2022 NFL MVP Odds: Bills’ Josh Allen Favored

PODCAST: Full Press Hockey Weekly Ep 45: Canucks, Islanders, and The Boston Bruins

Conclusion

The Avalanche were not there for the physical game tonight. They were outhit by the Stars 23-19 and pushed around at will by Dallas. It looked as if Colorado was missing their big defenseman in Josh Manson? He has only played twenty-seven games this season, but his absence was noticeable. In the seven games that he played since he returned, he has had 18 hits. He brings a physical force to the Avalanche. Nichushkin will bring a will that just won’t quit. He never stops on the forecheck and he will barrel down the wing toward the net to get a goal. Colorado missed both of these today and hopefully, they will get at least Nichushkin back soon.