In the regular season match of the National Hockey League (NHL), Colorado Avalanche hosted Buffalo Sabers and achieved an overwhelming victory with a score of 5:1.
Mikko Rantanen scored the goal in the sixth minute of the match. Five minutes later, Russian Valery Nichushkin increased his team’s lead. Miles Wood made it 3-0 at half-time. Zachary Benson helped Buffalo pull a goal back, but the visitors lacked the strength to do much more.
In the third period, Colorado players hit the opposing team’s goal twice. Sam Malinski and the same Nichushkin distinguished themselves.
Russian goalkeeper Ivan Prosvetov made 29 saves for Colorado. The Avalanche sit third in the Western Conference standings with 38 points.
Nichushkin played in 27 games in the NHL this season and recorded 12 goals and 13 assists.
Last season, the Russian played in only two NHL play-off games. The club explained his absence as personal reasons. Journalists also wrote that there were some alcohol-related incidents with Nichushkin.
previously Russian logged in He is in the top 5 in the NHL in assists among Europeans.