Gabriel Landeskog’s return to the ice after nearly three years was a moment of triumph for both the player and the Colorado Avalanche. The captain, who had battled knee injuries, surgeries, finally made his comeback in Game 3 of the Western Conference First Round against the Dallas Stars.
“It’s playoffs, so not a whole lot of time to think about what’s going on, how it’s feeling, how long you’ve been gone for,” Landeskog said. “It’s just kind of like, get into it and get playing. So, yeah, honestly, it felt pretty good.
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Landeskog’s performance spoke for itself. In the emotional 2-1 overtime loss, he led the Avalanche with six hits in just 13:16 of ice time. Coach Jared Bednar praised his captain, saying, “He was physical right away, involved right away in a lot of different aspects of our game.”
This was Landeskog’s first NHL game since June 26, 2022, when the Avalanche clinched the Stanley Cup, and his first game in 1,032 days. He became only the fifth player in NHL history to return after such a long absence.
Reflecting on the night, Landeskog said, “It was a memory of a lifetime for me. It was very special,” even as the game ended in a loss.
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