DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche have received a full slate of green lights—everyone is good to play tonight.
Captain Gabe Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, and Parker Kelly were all absent from Monday’s practice due to illness. After Colorado’s 7–2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens at Ball Arena, Coach Jared Bednar explained that MacKinnon had been feeling unwell since Saturday morning, yet he still dressed, competed, and produced a goal and two assists.
Landeskog did not take part in Tuesday’s morning skate, but he was later seen in the gym, where he paused to sign an autograph for a young fan, pose for photos, and was in great spirits.
As for Kelly, he took part in the morning skate and told The Hockey News that his ailment didn’t fit the usual definition of being sick.
“(I feel) good,” Kelly stated. “I don’t want to specify on mine too much, but mine wasn’t really a sickness, like a cough or a flu, it was something else.”
Use your imagination, folks.
When asked for an update on the trio, Bednar kept it simple: “All good to go.”
Nichushkin shed his red non-contact sweater at Monday’s practice, yet a measure of uncertainty lingered heading into Tuesday. He appeared in a white jersey during the morning skate, a choice that can occasionally signal a player is not fully cleared to return, prompting some concern that he might not dress for tonight’s game. However, Bednar erased all doubt when he was asked if he was returning tonight.
“He is.”
Nichushkin sustained a lower-body injury in the third period of Colorado’s 4-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on November 11 after blocking a shot and immediately heading down the tunnel.
History has generally been unkind to the Avalanche when Nichushkin hasn’t been in the lineup, but his absence has not affected Colorado too bad this time around as the Avalanche remain the NHL’s best team with just one regulation loss through 25 games.
In fact, the Avalanche have matched the 2012-13 Blackhawks’ 21-1-3 start for the second-longest streak to begin a season with only one regulation loss. Still, Colorado has some ground to cover to catch the all-time benchmark set by the 1979-80 Philadelphia Flyers, who opened the season 26-1-10.
Stay tuned to The Hockey News for your latest updates. The Avalanche (18-1-6) square off against the Vancouver Canucks (10-13-3) at Ball Arena. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. local time.
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