Andrighetto A Full Participant At Avs Practice In Jersey

NEWARK, N.J.--For the first time during the 2018-19 regular season, Sven Andrighetto was a full participant in a Colorado Avalanche practice. The forward skated in a regular practice jersey during the team's afternoon on-ice session at Prudential Center on Wednesday.
The Zurich, Switzerland, native suffered a leg injury in a preseason game against the Dallas Stars on Sept. 26. He was a non-contact player during Colorado's morning skate on Saturday and in the club's practice on Sunday before the team began its road trip out east.

"He is going to be available for us tomorrow. We are still making some lineup decisions, but I thought he looked great," head coach Jared Bednar said of Andrighetto. "That's his first contact practice but he has been skating with the team now for a couple practices.
"I think he looks quick, he is in really good shape. He has done a lot of hard work since he's been out and I'm excited to have a guy like him available again, adds some skill and some speed to our lineup."
The Avalanche had an hour-long practice session at Prudential Center before the club continues its four-game east coast road trip on Thursday at the New Jersey Devils.

GRUBAUER TO PLAY VERSUS DEVILS

Goaltender Philipp Grubauer will make his second appearance as an Av on Thursday when the team faces the Devils. He was acquired by Colorado in the offseason and made his Avalanche debut at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 9.
"It's been a while, anxious to play and want to be back in the net and excited for the opportunity again," the German keeper said after practice.
Grubauer has played in one contest against the Devils, an outing he earned the win in after making 21 saves with the Washington Capitals on Dec. 31, 2016.
"They are similar to us, they are really good off the rush," he said of New Jersey. "They create a lot of really dangerous situations off the rush. They have a couple good players in there and they can change the game, and we got to make sure we take time and space away from those guys."

COMPHER UPDATE

Avs forward J.T. Compher missed Colorado's contest at the New York Rangers on Tuesday with a head injury. He is not an option to play at Prudential Center on Thursday, but he could be back in the lineup soon.
"He is back on the ice and he is making some progression, so I think he is headed in the right direction," Bednar said of Compher. "He is not a player for us tomorrow though. Hopefully sometime during this trip though we can get him in the lineup. We will just see how all that goes with his recovery."
The Northbrook, Illinois, native is tied for second on the team in goals (three) so far this season and is sixth in points (four).

Practice Line Combinations

Gabriel Landeskog - Nathan MacKinnon - Mikko Rantanen
Alexander Kerfoot - Tyson Jost - Colin Wilson
Matt Nieto - Carl Soderberg - Matt Calvert
Sheldon Dries - Vladislav Kamenev - Gabriel Bourque - Sven Andrighetto
Samuel Girard - Erik Johnson
Ian Cole - Tyson Barrie
Nikita Zadorov - Patrik Nemeth - Mark Barberio
Philipp Grubauer
Semyon Varlamov