Rapid Recap: Avalanche 4, Blackhawks 2

The Colorado Avalanche had four different goal scorers to open the 2021-22 season with a 4-2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks at Ball Arena on Wednesday Night.
Bowen Byram, Nazem Kadri and Gabriel Landeskog each had a goal and an assist in the outing with Byram netting his first NHL goal and first multi-point game in the league.
Defenseman Jack Johnson scored the first goal of the game, his first marker with the Avalanche after he signed a one-year deal with the club on Sunday.
Dominik Kubalik and Connor Murphy scored for the Blackhawks while goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 32 saves in his first game with Chicago.

It was the first time Colorado faced Chicago since Dec. 21, 2019. The teams will meet three more times this season with all three matchups coming in January.
Statistics
|
Photo Gallery
|
Highlights 

THE GOALS

1st Period
4:26 COL (1-0) Jack Johnson scored the first goal of the season on a breakaway after he got the puck from J.T. Compher at center ice.
5:38 COL (2-0) - Erik Johnson's shot from the right point bounced off of Nazem Kadri and Gabriel Landeskog and into the net.
9:34 COL (3-0) - Gabriel Landeskog found Bowen Byram jumping into the offensive zone and he scored his first NHL goal top shelf.
16:47 CHI (3-1) - Dominik Kubalik shot from the top of the right circle got through traffic and hit twine.
2nd Period
16:12 COL (4-1) - Nazem Kadri passed the puck to Bowen Byram in the slot and then scored from below the right circle when Byram passed it back to him.
3rd Period
15:31 CHI (4-2) - Connor Murphy kept the puck in the zone and his shot hit the goal pipe and went into the net.
Final: Avalanche - 4 | Blackhawks - 2

3 STARS

Selected by Colorado Hockey Coach of the Game: Pat Patterson - Lafayette Locomotive Hockey Club

POWER PLAYS

Colorado:0 for 4
Chicago: 1 for 3

GOALTENDING BATTLE

Colorado: Darcy Kuemper made his Avalanche debut and made 32-of-34 saves.
Chicago: Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 32 shots in his first game with the Blackhawks.

STAT OF THE NIGHT

The game marked the third time that the Avalanche has opened the season against the Blackhawks since the franchise arrived in Denver and Colorado is now 3-0-0 in those contests. The Avalanche franchise now owns a 24-11-7 all-time record on Opening Night, the second-best mark in the NHL (minimum 10 games).
The Avs began their season at home for the fourth straight year, the 13th time in the last 16 seasons and for the 15th time in the last 19. Colorado is now 17-6-3 in home openers since 1995-96, which includes a 15-5-2 mark at Ball Arena.

NOTEBOOK

Bowen Byram scored his first NHL goal and added an assist for his first career multi-point game… Erik Johnson was skating in his first game since Jan. 30 after being limited to four games in 2020-21 and had an assist in the outing… Jack Johnson scored the first goal of the season for Colorado after signing a one-year deal with the club on Sunday... Jack Johnson became the first Avalanche defenseman to score in his debut with the franchise since Stefan Elliot (Nov. 26, 2011)… With Nathan MacKinnon unavailable to play in the game, Mikko Rantanen wore the second alternate captain 'A' patch… The game marked the first time Colorado has played Chicago since Dec. 21, 2019.

QUOTABLE

Captain Gabriel Landeskog on having fans in the stands: "I mean that is something we've really missed. Sometimes you don't realize what you have until its gone, right? That's the saying and that couldn't be any more true when it comes to our hockey fans. It brings so much to the atmosphere and after playing in empty building and half-empty buildings for over a year it is very exciting to bring them back in and see a full house tonight. It is going to be very exciting, and it will take some time to get used to, but nonetheless very exciting."

BIG HIGHLIGHT

IMAGE OF THE GAME

The Stage is Set

ROSTER REPORT

Forward Darren Helm, defensemen Jack Johnson and Ryan Murray, and goaltender Darcy Kuemper made their Avalanche debuts while Sampo Ranta skated in his first NHL regular-season contest… Ranta, Bowen Byram, Jayson Megna, Alex Newhook and Logan O'Connor each played in their first opening night game… Kurtis MacDermid was the defensive scratch and Jonas Johansson backed up Kuemper.

INJURY UPDATE

Forward Nathan MacKinnon and head coach Jared Bednar missed the first game of the year in COVID protocol. Defenseman Devon Toews has been skating as a non-contact participant in team practices while he recovers from offseason surgery. Goaltender Pavel Francouz is expected to miss three-to-four weeks with a lower-body injury he sustained on Oct. 5.

UP NEXT

The Avalanche hosts the St. Louis Blues in a Division Rival game at Ball Arena on Saturday. Prior to the outing, Colorado will honor the late Pierre Lacroix. Colorado's former general manager and team president passed away on Dec. 13, 2020. Fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 5:45 p.m. that night as the ceremony is scheduled to begin at approximately 6 p.m.

LINE COMBINATIONS

Based on the start of the game
Forwards
92 Gabriel Landeskog - 91 Nazem Kadri - 96 Mikko Rantanen
13 Valeri Nichushkin - 37 J.T. Compher - 95 Andre Burakovsky
18 Alex Newhook - 17 Tyson Jost - 75 Sampo Ranta
43 Darren Helm - 12 Jayson Megna - 25 Logan O'Connor
Defensemen
49 Samuel Girard - 8 Cale Makar
4 Bowen Byram - 6 Erik Johnson
3 Jack Johnson - 28 Ryan Murray
Goaltenders
35 Darcy Kuemper
31 Jonas Johansson