Injury update: Avalanche defenseman
Nikita Zadorov has an upper-body injury and didn’t travel Wednesday to Dallas for Thursday's game.
Zadorov went down hard along the boards at 6:23 of the third period Tuesday against Detroit, though he eventually returned.
Coach
Jared Bednar, after an optional practice Wednesday, said Zadorov would “stick around for further evaluation.” Rookie defenseman
Ryan Graves will take his place against the Stars.
The positive news is that right wing
Mikko Rantanen is “fine,” Bednar said and will play Thursday. He had a goal and two assists in the 4-3 overtime win against the Red Wings, after which he spoke with the media before being seen heading to the X-ray room.
*****
Looking for energy?
J.T. Compher will provide.
And with 15 goals and 30 points despite missing 16 games because of a concussion he sustained in the fifth game of the season, the third-year forward has set career highs in both categories (along with assists).
The Avalanche
RALLIED, WON IN OT.
“I feel like I’m trying to take steps, making sure when I’m getting chances in the slot, breakaways, stuff like that, to bear down and finish my opportunities,” Compher said. “I’ve continued to work on my ability to score. As I get to play more in this league, I think I can help the team however possible and not just be a one-way type player.”
Playing on a line with
Carl Soderberg and
Colin Wilson, he scored an early second-period goal to forge a 1-1 with Detroit after the Avalanche were outshot 8-1 over the final 13 1-2 minutes of the first period.
Compher played 17:16, had three shots on goal, blocked two shots and won eight of 12 faceoffs.
“You look at what J.T. does for us, he kind of fits into that same role as, say a Soderberg type guy,” Bednar said. “He’s one of the guys on our team that plays both special teams. Besides our top line, Soderberg and him eat up the most minutes as forwards because of that.
“He’s an important guy for us in a lot of different areas, and he’s a right shot centerman, so he takes a lot of draws regardless of who he’s playing with on the right side in the D-zone and penalty kill and stuff like that.”
A natural center, Compher was at right wing Tuesday with Wilson and Soderberg.
“We’ve played together in the past and at times have been a good combination,” Compher said. “I thought we played well last night, forced some turnovers and created scoring chances.”
Soderberg and Wilson assisted on Compher’s goal, a shot from the slot. Soderberg had three shots and a takeaway, Wilson one shot and a takeaway. Compher had two takeaways.
Compher, who is from Northbrook, Ill., played three years at the University of Michigan, where he was a Hobey Baker Award finalist as a junior in 2015-16. But playing against the Red Wings, he said, wasn’t more significant than any other opponent.
“At this point, we’re just trying to get wins to make that push for the playoffs, so every game is just as important as the next one,” Compher said. “It’s all about making the playoffs right now and making that push.”
Compher was one of the players at the start of the season who was being counted on to produce secondary scoring behind the big three of
Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon and
Mikko Rantanen. He’s fifth on the Avalanche in goals despite being sidelined Oct. 16-Nov. 21 with the head injury.
“There’s always room for improvement,” Compher said. “As hockey players and competitors, you want to produce more. As of late, the games we’ve been winning is when everyone is chipping in, different lines are scoring.”
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