Hockey is back! The Colorado Avalanche made it back to the ice during a split-squad game vs the Utah Mammoth. The puck was originally set to drop at the iconic University of Denver Magness Arena at 2:35 p.m. with the second game commencing at Ball Arena at 5 p.m. Due to some travel delays, the first game was delayed to a 5 p.m. drop with the second game happening at 7:30 p.m.
Over at DU, the lineup contains big names like captain Gabriel Landeskog, Valeri Nichushkin, Cale Makar, Devon Toews, goalie Scott Wedgewood, and DU alum Sean Behrens. The game was off to a slow start with only 1 goal going to the Mammoth in the 1st. Over in the second the Avalanche got off to a fast start scoring a goal at 1:57 in the 
period and 3 more in quick succession. The excitement in the 3rd came with a Gabriel Landeskog fight ending in a 5-minute major for both players involved. The 5 goals for the Avs were attributed to Tristen Nielsen (2), Danil Gushchin (1), and Gavin Brindley (2). The final score of game 1 was 5-1 Avalanche.
Once the DU game ended the puck had dropped at Ball Arena. Big names included, Brock Nelson, Parker Kelly, Artturi Lehkonen, Sam Malinski, Martin Necas, Josh Manson, and Colorado Eagles starting goalie Trent Miner. The 1st started off slow with no goals until 2:01 left in the period when Lehkonen found the back of the net. In the 2nd things got closer with a goal for both teams leading to a 2-1 score heading into the 
3rd. When Utah tied it with 5:51 remaining. The Avalanche responded quickly though with a Brock Nelson goal 32 seconds later. They were then able to hold off the Mammoth till the end with a final score of 3-2 Avalanche.
If anything was learned at these 2 split squads’ games, we now know that it will be a battle for the final few spots on the Avalanche this year, there are truly no players we can rule out from making the final roster. As always good to see the big names getting set for the home opener on October 9th against the returning Utah Mammoth.
