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Girard returns to help in 3–1 win over Sharks

  
Girard
Samuel Girard of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates a win against the San Jose Sharks at Ball Arena on December 31, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. The Avalanche defeated the Sharks 3-1. (Photo courtesy of Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)

I would like to start tonight’s article with a personal touch. I would like to say congratulations to Samuel Girard. For those that do not know, Girard returned from a 20 game absence after entering the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program for depression and alcoholism. It was very brave to step up and for him to follow through with it. It is not a simple thing to do, and it is ok not to be ok.

The Colorado Avalanche were coming off a win in St. Louis that they could barely scrape together. Tonight, they had the chance to get a practice game against the worst team in the league. This should have been an easy win, but Colorado did not make it look that way until late in the game. Here are my takeaways from the 3–1 victory over the San Jose Sharks.

Takeaways

— Girard made his highly anticipated return to the Avalanche after not playing since November 18. He did not skip a beat as he did not hesitate to jump up on the plays at all. His 16:18 of ice time was not as much as he played before his departure, but they felt his impact. The first time that he touched the puck in the game, the crowd roared to support him. Tonight, his mobility along the blue line made everyone realize how much they missed him. Late in the third period, Girard even kept the puck in the zone and sent the pass over to Nathan MacKinnon. It would eventually lead to a Valeri Nichushkin goal.

— MacKinnon extended his home point streak to 19 games. He has a point in every single game the Avalanche have played at home this season. In those 19 games, MacKinnon has tallied 15 goals and 25 assists. He also averages two minutes less of ice time than he does on the road. Not only that, MacKinnon has been throwing his body around a lot more. As he attempted to enter the offensive zone, Ty Emberson tried to hit him and MacKinnon laid the reverse hit right back.

— The fourth line was a non-factor in tonight’s game. The line comprised Joel Kiviranta, Kurtis MacDermid, and Fredrik Olofsson. They averaged only 4 minutes and 49 seconds of ice time collectively. MacDermid’s recent performance has fans even wondering why he continues to play over seventh defenseman. In his defense, he has dramatically improved his skating over the summer and is learning a new position on the fly, but the NHL is not the place to learn on the fly like he appears to be doing. If MacDermid clears waivers (and is not claimed), the team would still be obligated to pay him the same amount if they assign him to the Colorado Eagles, given that he is on a one-way contract.

Analysis

The Avalanche fell flat during the second period, as they usually do in most games. Colorado has narrowed their goal differential to minus-1, but it was much higher a couple of weeks ago. They are having a lot of issues playing a full 20 minutes in a period, allowing a goal in the last minute or two. The tied game compelled Colorado to come alive in the third period. Colorado’s road ahead will be a much tougher one with the New York Islanders coming to Denver on Tuesday night. The Islanders are currently fighting to keep their wild card spot. They always prove to be a gritty opponent when they come to town.

https://youtu.be/8LjsYED_kRo?si=7DfyALHjYdXfyiQA

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