It had been 1,041 days since Gabriel Landeskog last found the back of the net in an NHL game. For the captain of the Colorado Avalanche, that`s how long it had been since he last heard the familiar blare of the goal horn at Ball Arena, raised his arms in triumph surrounded by teammates, or heard his name cheered by the energized Denver crowd.
The veteran forward had a brief return to scoring two weeks prior during an AHL conditioning stint, potting his first goal in three years. But Saturday night, under the bright lights of the NHL stage, Landeskog finally had his significant moment, tallying his first NHL goal since June 2022. This milestone helped the Avalanche secure a decisive Game 4 victory against the Dallas Stars, evening the series.
This was no lucky bounce or simple tap-in; it was a goal characteristic of the player known as No. 92.
Moved up to skate alongside Brock Nelson on the second line for Saturday`s game, after returning to the lineup in Game 3 as part of the bottom six, Landeskog displayed high energy from the outset. Midway through the second period of Game 4, a period where Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger had been frustrating Avalanche attackers, Nelson recovered the puck behind Colorado`s net and drove down the left side.
He skillfully maneuvered past two Stars players, drawing defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin towards the boards, before sending a pass to an open Landeskog situated in the high slot. The captain didn`t hesitate, controlling the puck, winding up, and unleashing a powerful shot that beat Oettinger high on the glove side.
Tristan Blackwood