Edmonton, Alberta – Brad Richardson was disappointed to start his hockey season in Lowell, Mass., in October.
He had hoped his working address would be Denver, but the rookie center did not survive the final cuts at the Avalanche’s training camp.
He is a bona fide NHL player now, even though it happened this soon because of injuries to veterans. Richardson isn’t complaining.
“It’s everybody’s dream to make the NHL,” Richardson said after Tuesday’s 3-2 Avalanche victory over the Oilers. “I had my dream come true. But I don’t want this to be a temporary thing. I want to have a good NHL career.”
Richardson, one of the top scorers in the Ontario Hockey League last season, played 8 minutes, 35 seconds against the Oilers. He did not register a point or a shot but did some good things defensively.
“You have to keep your feet moving and keep your stick in the right lanes (in the NHL),” Richardson said. “All I can do is work as hard as I can and try to learn as much as I can, however long I’m here.”
Lappy gets an “A”
With left wing Steve Konowalchuk out for the season with a wrist injury, the Avalanche awarded his alternate captain’s “A” to right wing Ian Laperriere.
Laperriere scored Colorado’s first two goals against the Oilers.
Footnotes
Kurt Sauer, Paul Healey and Bob Boughner were healthy scratches for the Avalanche. … Avs rookie Marek Svatos was stopped on a breakaway bid in the second period by Edmonton goalie Mike Morrison, but nearly had a penalty shot awarded to him after being tripped by Edmonton’s Jason Smith. Referees gave Smith a two-minute minor for tripping, giving the Avalanche a 5-on-3 for 1 minute, 5 seconds.
