Avs' Girard out for playoffs after breaking sternum
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard will miss the remainder of the postseason after suffering a broken sternum in Saturday's Game 3 against the St. Louis Blues, the team announced.
Girard was taken to the hospital after he got crunched into the boards by Blues forward Ivan Barbashev during the first period.
The Barbashev hit ⤵️#StanleyCup | #stlblues | #GoAvsGo https://t.co/geuZihwq7z pic.twitter.com/UDvHbvYUhX
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 22, 2022
No penalty was called on the play.
Here's how the Avalanche spread out the minutes on defense on Saturday:
| Player | Minutes |
|---|---|
| Devon Toews | 30:56 |
| Cale Makar | 28:49 |
| Josh Manson | 20:42 |
| Erik Johnson | 19:27 |
| Bowen Byram | 17:45 |
| Samuel Girard | 0:56 |
Byram will likely be tasked with taking Girard's spot on the second pairing with Manson moving forward. Veteran Jack Johnson is the most logical candidate to enter the lineup and could slot in on the third pairing. Kurtis MacDermid and Ryan Murray are also options, although the latter hasn't played since March 21 due to a hand injury.
Girard entered Saturday with three points in six games this postseason. He tallied five goals and 23 assists in 67 regular-season contests while averaging 21:38 per game - the third-most minutes on the team.