Denver – Denver (AP) – Colorado Captain Gabriel Landeskog He took a moment, some even, to let reality scored his first NHL goal in almost three years he sank.
Everything was a lot to absorb: his teammates attacked him on the ice, his good friend Nathan Mackinnon Bear who hugged him in the bank, the crowd sang his name.
These were all the things that was not sure to experience again while working back from a chronic wounded right knee.
“There were moments of doubt,” said Landeskog, who also had an assistance when the avalanche beat the Dallas Stars 4-0 on Saturday night In game 4 to tie the first round series. “I think it would be nonsense not to take a second and enjoy it and really soak.
“The greatest reflection will probably come when everything is said and done one day, and you understand how the trip has been, and the ups and downs and the great days and the great games and what is not. But for now, yes, you enjoy it.”
It was almost a surreal scene when Landeskog’s Snap-Snap Thot He found the bottom of the network after a Brock Nelson pass. The crowd snappedly and Londeskog’s teammates on ice rushed to celebrate. The Avalanche Bank was also euphoric, while passing through the gloves taps, and finally that hug from Bear from Mackinnon.
This was Landeskog’s first goal since June 20, 2022, against Tampa Bay in the Stanley Cup final. He helped avalanche to raise the cup six days later.
Landeskog, 32, was set aside for three regular seasons. He made his return in game 3, about 1,032 days since his last NHL game.
“It is surprising how quickly he has collected. It’s crazy, sincerely. It’s beyond all our expectations,” Mackinnon said. “I was laughing in my head, but he says: ‘I don’t think there is a difference between a month of rest or three years of rest.’ And I was thinking, like ‘Hmm, whatever. But he was right.
“It simply shows if you are good in hockey, you are good in hockey. He can return and is one of our best players. It’s amazing. We miss him.”
Landeskog’s injury goes back to the “Bubble” 2020 season when it was accidentally cut over the knee by the skate of the teammate Cale Makar in a playoff game against Dallas. Landeskog eventually underwent a cartilage transplant procedure on May 10, 2023, without a schedule for a return, or even if he could return.
“It was more than a playoffs goal,” Mackinnon said. “I think it was a goal of life. It meant a lot for all of us for him to score a goal, and then he had an assistance.”
After the game, his teammates made Landeskog wear the large avalanche hat, which is part of the celebration to recognize the best player of the team in a victory. Thinking, that particular celebration was your idea.
“It has been quite entertaining to see the boys put it and use it and look quite silly,” said Landeskog, whose team plays the game 5 on Monday in Dallas. “And then I could put it and the boys always joke about how big my head is, so it was quite comfortable for me. But it was finally fun to put it, no doubt.”
He remains lost to explain all this.
“Every day, you are trying to improve, regardless of whether that is in the gym or on the ice or whatever,” said Landeskog, who recorded ICE Time 14:37 on Saturday and had three shots. “There is no difference now that I am healthy and back in the alignment.
“This morning, I woke up and there are simply no excuses. I do not want to make this miss me in X-Amoro of days or whatever. It is a great playoff game for us, a mandatory here at home and I think our team played that way, and played very well and very well. I think I was not different from anyone else. I thought we all brought our ‘game’.
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AP NHL Playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
