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Colorado Avalanche: 5 Awesome Defenseman Goals

By Nadia Archuleta

DENVER, CO - JANUARY 02: Erik Johnson #6 of the Colorado Avalanche is named the third star of the game against the Winnipeg Jets at the Pepsi Center on January 2, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - JANUARY 02: Erik Johnson #6 of the Colorado Avalanche is named the third star of the game against the Winnipeg Jets at the Pepsi Center on January 2, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Sam Girard’s 1st Colorado Avalanche Goal

The Colorado Avalanche acquired defenseman Samuel Girard as a central part of the Matt Duchene trade. He’s scouted as being a small, puck-moving defenseman with some offensive acumen.

Last season, the then-19-year-old rookie hadn’t really found his scoring mojo yet. For the Avalanche, he scored three goals in 68 games with the team. Defensemen take a little longer to develop, although, strangely, Girard’s defensive game was already taking shape better than Tyson Barrie’s!

In any case, 36 games in, Girard’s first goal as an Avalanche came. The goal came halfway through the second period after fellow d-man Nikita Zadorov had already scored to put the Avs up by one.

Colorado was on the power play because defenseman Darnell Nurse had crosschecked Gabriel Landeskog. During the power play, he passed the puck to Mikko Rantanen, who lobs it toward Girard. Sam unleashes his slapshot:

Can we celebrate how Mr. Cool as a Cucumber barely even reacts?

Fun fact: Sam Girard’s second goal as an Avalanche came three weeks later — against these selfsame Oilers:

Some players just like scoring on specific teams. (Like Jost on the Wild.)

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