Avalanche lose a key defenseman for the rest of the playoffs in win

Sam Girard took a vicious hit in the opening moments of Game 3, a play that sent the defenseman to the hospital and ended his season

BY JAMES MERILATT

May 21, 2022, 9:40 PM Updated: 9:45 pm

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While the Avalanche got great news on Saturday night when it came to the scoreboard, winning Game 3 over the Blues to take a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven series, everything wasn’t positive for Colorado. They lost Sam Girard for the season with a broken sternum.

The defenseman was smashed into the boards by Ivan Barbashev in the early moments of the game. He fell to the ice, had to be helped off and had blood on his face.

The slowed-down look on Barbashev’s hit … pic.twitter.com/4n0F48wCjq

— Cristiano Simonetta (@CMS_74_) May 22, 2022

After the game, the extent of the injury was announced. Jared Bednar shared the bad news.

Girard broke his sternum and will be out the rest of playoffs, per Jared Bednar.

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) May 22, 2022

That’s a tough break for the Avs and Girard, for various reasons. The defenseman was playing well, racking up a goal and two assists through the first six games of Colorado’s postseason run.

It’s unknown who will take his place in the lineup. Bednar has until Game 4 on Monday night to make that decision.

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