Denver (AP) – The captain of the Colorado Avalanish Gabriel Landskog played this moment on Wednesday night in his mind over and over again while making his back.
His return was everything he imagined as well. The beginning, however, with all the chants and the great early verification to show, undoubtedly, was already at the speed level in his first NHL match in nearly three years.
He did not have the short story.
Tyler Seguin 5:31 scored in additional time and Dallas Stars team beat Colorado 2-1 in game 3 to spoil the return of Landeskog. Colorado 2-1 tracks in the first round series, with 4 night game Saturday in Denver.
“We have a job to do as one team, and this is what we will do,” Landskog said. “However, I felt satisfied in all areas tonight, in terms of return … a very special night, regardless of the result and is already looking forward to Saturday.”
Landeskog started alongside Nathan McKinnon and Martin Nikas. Play 13 minutes and led the team with six times. Nevertheless, he was the first one to have an immediate impression as the stars striker Miko Rantanin, his dear friend and former teammate.
It was an emotional progress of the game for Landeskog as well. There were equipment by the crowd, chants from “Landy, Landy, Landy”. There were signs all over the arena, including one that his children who read, “very proud of you, Dad!”
Landskog said of his family: “It was closer to his loss during the warm -up, when I looked at it and seeing their big, smiling faces.” “Maybe they were thinking that I was lying all the time to play hockey.
“They were 1 and 2 when she played the last time and now they are 5 and 4. They are growing up. We have another one on this summer. It puts it in the perspective of the passage of time. It’s very special.”
The team also showed a video of him, as Landskog took his heart in appreciation.
Landskog appeared his first appearance in NHL since June 26, 2022, when he and Avalanche beat Tamba Pay to pick up the Stanley Cup. It was marginalized by the right knee with chronic injuries.
The gap between his games with Avalanche? About 1032 days.
He became a fifth player in the history of NHL – among those with at least 700 games – to return to his team after 1000 days or more without a competition, according to NHL statistics. The last one did that was long forward forward and the famous Peter Forsberg Celebrity Hall.
Landeskog has occupied the ice providing a large boost not only for his teammates but mobilizing capabilities. Jacket 92 is a frequent scene around the square.
The noise in the building was high, and the energy was electrical – to the end.
“Everyone is rooted for him,” said Jarid Bednar, coach of Avalinch, on Wednesday morning. “I trust in preparing Gabi, and what I see with my eyes is that he is approaching and ready to play. I think he is satisfied with the place where he is.”
Landeskog injury returns to the “Bubble” season for 2020 when it was accidentally routed over the knee by his teammate Cale Makar in a Dallas playmate. Landskog was eventually underwent a cartilage transplant on May 10, 2023, and was in a long -term infected reserve.
It was activated on Monday before match 2 in Dallas and skiing in pre -warm up, but he did not play.
The stars striker Matt Duchene was teammates with Landskog as they remained intimate friends.
“We were roaring for him to return. It is difficult for a man like this there, but on the side of friends, the human side and his teammate in the sports team, I think everyone is happy to see the progress he made. … I am really happy that he has reached this point.”
This does not mean that the stars will take it easily on Landeskog.
“It is striking that he returns, if he returns, as a friend,” said Rantanin, a choice in the first round of Colorado in 2015 before being traded in January to Carolina and Dallas in March. “As a discount, it is clear, no mercy.”
Feeling mutual.
“Regardless of what the shirt wears, I love him. He is a good friend of me.” “But in this series, we are not friends when we play.”
32 -year -old Landeskog recently passed two games to Colorado Eagles in the US Hockey League. He practiced with Avalanche leading to the opening match in the NHL qualifiers.
Makar said: “It is exciting to return it to the room and return with us.” “I think he really played well, we hope it will continue this way. It is definitely great in the room.”
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AP nhl Qualifiers: https://appnyws.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://appnyws.com/hub/nhl