While tearing up the American Hockey League offense, Andrew Agozzino has waited patiently for his shot at the NHL.
Even the 28-year-old center is the Colorado Eagles’ top scorer and ranks fourth in the AHL with 50 points (22 goals). Six Eagles forwards, however, were called up to the Avalanche until Agozzino obtained the call Sunday.
The Eagles were set to perform at the Stockton Heat on Sunday but Agozzino grabbed a trip to Denver and participated in Monday’s skate at the Pepsi Center.
Agozzino will center the Avs’ fourth lineup Monday night against the visiting Vegas Golden Knights.
“In my older years, I would have perhaps got a little more impatient, but becoming a little older today I just tried to stick to it and hope myself and my game, not allow it to get to me when I wasn’t predicted up,” Agozzino said.
Agozzino has played in 459 profession AHL regular-season matches but only 10 at the NHL — and not one because 2015-16 when he played with nine with the Avs. He logs around 20 minutes of ice time with the Eagles but will probably be lucky to receive 10 from Vegas. His wingers will be Sven Andrighetto and A.J. Greer.
“He’s been notable,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said of Agozzino. “He’s among the team ’s pioneers (offensively), a large leader in their locker room. Offensive side of the puck, defensive side of the puck — he’s put together a very great campaign to ensure ’s why he’s getting a look tonight. ”
Modified power playwith. The Avs, that are 0-of-23 on the power play in their past eight matches, fell No. 1 center Nathan MacKinnon to the second power-play unit, replaced by second-line forward J.T. Compher. MacKinnon will again center Gabe Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen at strength, and he might play up to the power play as he normally does, but it’s going to be using the next unit which ’s quarterbacked by defenseman Sam Girard.
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Compher will play the right wing with point person Tyson Barrie and forwards Landeskog, Rantanen and Tyson Jost.
“It’s only to trying to get something going,” Bednar said of this adjustment. “It hasn’t really been good recently. We harbor ’t put on key opportunities in key times in matches. We could ’t allow it to sit. Games are significant. We sit if it’s not functioning. ”
Footnotes. Goalie Semyon Varlamov will create his seventh straight start, and 14th at a stretch. … Forward Colin Wilson remains out with injury but is skating with the group and ought to return to the lineup Wednesday from the visiting Winnipeg Jets, Bednar said. Defenseman Ian Cole (broken orbital bone) remains out indefinitely.
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