Avalanche’s Valeri Nichushkin says his 91-game goals drought has been the “hardest time in my life” - The Denver Post

Russian winger Valeri Nichushkin can finally relax.

The first-year Avalanche player will no longer worry about his goals drought reaching triple digits.

Nichushkin scored his first goal in 92 games Saturday night to give the Avs a chance to beat visiting Toronto. His goal early in the third period cut Colorado’s deficit to 4-3; the Avs were unable to produce the equalizer and lost 5-3 after the Leafs scored an empty-net goal with one second left.

Nichushkin, 24, said his 91-game goals drought has been the “hardest time in my life.” His previous goal was with the Dallas Stars on March 4, 2016.

“Always tough for forwards to have no goals,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of moments, lot of (opportunities), especially last 10 games. We lose couple of guys and I have more minutes, more chances to score. And it’s like, every game is close — close, close, close — and some guys are ‘What the (heck)’ and say, ‘You need to be more lucky.’ Finally happened and I hope now I will score often.”

Nichushkin signed a one-year, $850,000 contract with the Avs on Aug. 19, a little less than two months after Dallas bought out the $5.9 million he was owed for this season ($2.7 million) and 2020-21 ($3.2 million). Last season, after a two-year stint with CSKA Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League, Nichushkin failed to produce a goal, or a penalty, for Dallas in 57 games.

He has three points (two assists) and five penalty minutes in 19 games with the Avs. Nichushkin’s ice time is bound to decrease in the coming weeks when Colorado gets injured forwards Mikko Rantanen (left ankle), Gabe Landeskog (right ankle), Colin Wilson (lower-body) and Matt Calvert (concussion) back.

Reunion. Avs forward Nazem Kadri had two assists and four shots in his first game against the Maple Leafs, with whom he played his first nine NHL seasons. The Avs and Leafs meet again Dec. 4 in Toronto, in Kadri’s second game against his former team.

“It was odd, for sure. It was weird,” Kadri said of his first game against the Leafs. “Had to check down on jersey to make sure I was playing for the right team a couple times. But it was fun.”

Footnotes. Rookie defenseman Cale Makar has logged career-highs in ice time the last two games. He played 24:41 and 27:45 against Minnesota and Toronto, respectively, and his ice time against the Leafs was the most for an NHL rookie this season. … Former Avs forward Alex Kerfoot of the Maple Leafs will have a hearing with the NHL Player Safety on Monday for his hit on Colorado defenseman Erik Johnson. Kerfoot was assessed a minor penalty for boarding, and Johnson may have been injured on the play. The Avs recalled defenseman Calle Rosen of the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League on Sunday. … Following Saturday’s game, forward A.J. Greer was returned to the Eagles — presumably to get playing time. Greer had been with the Avs since Tuesday but has yet to play in the NHL this season.

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Avalanche’s Valeri Nichushkin says his 91-game goals drought has been the “hardest time in my life” - The Denver Post
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