Avalanche approaches one-year anniversary of final pre-COVID game

Not quite halfway through the NHL’s 2021 season, Thursday will mark the one-year anniversary of the Avalanche’s last home game played before fans. On March 11, 2020, the Avs used an overtime goal from J.T. Compher to defeat the New York Rangers 3-2 before a sellout Pepsi Center crowd of 18,025. The next day, the
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Avalanche’s third-line, J.T. Compher thriving with Coyotes playoff series ahead

Avalanche forward J.T. Compher skates to an opposing goaltender’s crease on a mission to create havoc on the forecheck, and even if it’s ugly, to put in the puck. “That’s how you score goals,” Compher said. “Getting to the net.” Colorado’s third-line center is more than just talk. Remember Saturday? In the Avs’ 4-3 overtime
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Avalanche coach Jared Bednar has practice tirade; star rookie Cale Makar skates off early

Jared Bednar was animated as he’s probably ever been in his four decades as Avalanche head coach Saturday, at Day 5 of the training camp 2.0 in Pepsi Center. Bednar stopped an end-to-end 5-on-5 and unleashed an obscenity-laced tirade that included his concern about checking, the restricted practices remaining ahead of the Avs’ Aug. 2
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Finnish forward Joonas Donskoi chose Avalanche in free agency last summer. He’s now having a career year.

A bit more than a year later choosing the Avalanche, Finnish winger Joonas Donskoi can unequivocally say totally free service went well for him. Donskoi, who played in the Western Conference finals last year with the San Jose Sharks, is currently preparing for the play with a group many believe may win the Stanley Cup.
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Star assessments: Evaluating the Avalanche’s top players in 2019-20

Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon is beyond a three-star player. If there were a fourth star, he would have it. And teammates Cale Makar and Ryan Graves, among others, are perhaps equally as important to a club that flirted with the Western Conference regular-season championship before the coronavirus pandemic halted the season. To help fill the
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Avs Mailbag: Who would Colorado most want to see in playoffs — if games are actually played?

Denver Post sports writer Mike Chambers responds to queries in the Avs Mailbag each week.  Pose an Avalanche- or NHL-related query for the Avs Mailbag. What team would introduce that the Avs’ most favorable matchup in the playoffs’ first round? Least positive? — Jack, Hooper  If and once we resume play, Jack, I might think
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Avalanche’s Martin Kaut relishes first NHL goal in win against Sabres: “That goal was for my mom”

Avalanche forward Martin Kaut crouched on one knee, sent a flurry of fist pumps and received a bath from captain Gabe Landeskog in the Pepsi Center on Wednesday night. It was an celebration worthy of Kaut’s first NHL goal. And, wait, it becomes better. “My mother was still here,” Kaut told reporters in the Avs
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Czech Republic natives, J.T. Compher, lead the Avalanche to 3-2 win over Buffalo Sabres

Czech, please. Czech Republic natives Martin Kaut and Pavel Francouz had yet another memorable night Wednesday in the Avalanche’s 3-2 triumph over the Buffalo Sabres at the Pepsi Center. Kaut, a newcomer forward, scored his first career goal, also Francouz, a goalie in his first full NHL season, closed the door with 13 third-period saves.
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Philipp Grubauer’s 34-save shutout leads Avalanche to win over Senators

Over three months passed between Avalanche games within the Pepsi Center when Colorado finally returned to its house ice Tuesday night. The welcome-back party? A powerful performance against an NHL bottom feeder that prolonged the Avs&rsquo winning streak to five matches. Goalie Philipp Grubauer has been fantastic with 34 saves in his second shutout operation
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Avs dominate Sharks, improve to 1-0-2 in five-game homestand

Looking for a team effort to squash the the Avalanche pulled off that and more Thursday night at Pepsi Center. This wasn’t just a solid triumph. It had been near-perfect in front of a crowd. The Avs cruised to a 4-0 triumph over the San Jose Sharks in Game 3 of a five-game homestand, moving
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