Gabriel Landeskog scored his first regular-season goal in over three years, helping the Colorado Avalanche secure a 4-1 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night.
After having two goals disallowed earlier this season, Landeskog finally found the net in the second period. The goal came off a rebound, beating Ducks' goaltender Lukas Dostal and giving the Avalanche a lead they maintained for the rest of the game.
Valeri Nichushkin’s initial shot was stopped, but Landeskog outmuscled Jackson LaCombe in front of the net to score the rebound. This marked his first regular-season goal since March 5, 2022.
“Maybe my stick caught the goalie’s stick or something, goaltender interference, you never know,” Landeskog joked. “Got back to the bench and there was nothing to argue, so felt good. No doubt.”
Landeskog’s prolonged goal drought was widely noted by fans and analysts, and the captain himself expressed relief at ending it.
“It was nice to move on. I think it was my second-longest goal drought of my career, so it was nice to just be done with it. Had a decent amount of looks and some bounces that don’t go your way, and that’s the way the game works.”
This breakthrough goal helped solidify the Avalanche’s position, contributing significantly to the team's decisive victory.
Author's summary: Gabriel Landeskog ended a three-year goal drought with a key rebound goal, leading the Avalanche to a 4-1 victory and gaining relief from a challenging scoring period.