Colorado Avalanche: Dries and Kamenev Score 1st NHL Goals

Colorado Avalanche rookies Vladislav Kamenev and Sheldon Dries were shining spots in a dark game against the Calgary Flames.

The Colorado Avalanche did not have a good game against the Calgary Flames. They had a roller coaster game against the Vancouver Canucks that saw some good stretches. However, they had a pretty awful game against the Flames.

There were, however, a couple bright spots. Two Avs rookies, Vladislav Kamenev and Sheldon Dries, earned their first NHL goals. That’s always something to celebrate.

Unfortunately, it was a game that saw the Avalanche blow a three-goal lead in the third period en route to a 6-5 regulation loss. Therefore, the two rookies had to maintain a certain sobriety in talking about their first NHL goals, which they’ve dreamed of their whole lives.

Kamenev said in his post-game presser:

"“Yeah, of course I was happy about it,. But like I said, it’s important to get a win.”"

Dries sentiments were pretty similar:

"“I mean, you score a goal, you want to enjoy it. But at the end of the day, you’re still playing a game and still got a job to do. So it’s not the result we wanted obviously.”"

Ryan Clark of The Athletic spoke with Dries mother, Erika Dries. Not being on the team, she was free to share her exuberance at her son’s first NHL goal without having to temper it for propriety’s sake:

"“Oh, we were very emotional. Playing in the NHL has been his dream and to get there and score his first NHL goal, it’s just incredible. It really is.”"

Well, we don’t want the two goals to get lost just because the rest of the team forgot how to hockey. So, let’s look at these firsts.

Vladislav Kamenev’s 1st NHL Goal

You say you don’t care what your first NHL goal looks like. However, when these players dreamed it when they were kids, it probably looked something like Kamenev’s first goal.

Kamenev intercepts a pass at his own blueline. He whizzes past the Calgary defender. By the time he settles it at the red line, you can tell he’s on a breakaway of import. He enters the offensive zone all alone. As a Calgary defender stretches out to poke check him, Kamenev wrists the puck past goalie Mike Smith short side:

The best part of this goal after the fact that it was Kamenev’s first? He scored the goal on the penalty kill.

Sheldon Dries’ 1st NHL Goal

So, Dries must have gone to the Alexander Kerfoot school of scoring first goals. While it didn’t quite go off his derriere, he did, indeed, billiard it around.

The play starts in the Avalanche’s zone. Kerfoot himself dishes the puck to Tyson Barrie, who pinches in. He lets off a shot on Smith. Dries somehow catches a corner of the shot with his stick and kind of flings it over Smith’s glove:

Here’s his water christening:

What’s fun is that Sheldon Dries also earned his first NHL assist — might as well get it all out of the way in one game. He later assisted on Colin Wilson’s second-period goal. What’s more, Dries also scored a goal against the Canucks.

It’s good to see the Colorado Avalanche get some secondary scoring. It’s even better to see their youngsters stepping up and contributing to the team. Hopefully they can help the team get back on track.