Makar “game-time decision” for Tahoe; Sam Girard could play

First off, the scenery looks spectacular. Just real, real pretty. Our Scott MacDonald will be on the scene from Lake Tahoe tonight/tomorrow for Colorado Hockey Now. Second, Jared Bednar still won’t commit to Cale Makar playing a game yet. He said the NHL reigning Calder Trophy winner will be a “game-time decision” for Saturday’s game against Vegas on Lake Tahoe.

Here was a surprise though: Bednar said “all of the Covid guys” are eligible to play tomorrow, including…wait for it…Sam Girard. It had seemed that Girard wouldn’t be eligible to come back to hockey activities until Sunday, but obviously things changed. Girard was in those pretty reverse retro jerseys today, as you can see above, and practiced with the boys on the sheet of ice adorning the lake.

Gabe Landeskog said he “feels great” and “ready to go” for the game. I asked him about the surroundings in Tahoe, and what it was like out on the ice today:

“It’s a really cool surrounding. Pictures don’t really do it justice. Probably the purest form of hockey there is,” Landeskog said.

Some more fun: Nathan MacKinnon will be attempting a hole-in-one this afternoon, just like Joe Sakic did in Tahoe 10 years ago:

MacKinnon is an avid golfer, though he said he hasn’t played in a while.

“I’m just hoping maybe I can drain one,” MacKinnon said.

The shot attempt will be shown on NBC as part of the broadcast tomorrow. He can win $1 million for charity if he makes it.

It should be fun tomorrow. I expect Makar to play, but it’s making me nervous too – just like you are probably.

It’s nice to see Landy back out there though. And if they get Girard back – bonus. Bednar said he wouldn’t decide his lineup until tomorrow.

The players did say the ice was a bit soft today, with MacKinnon saying he wished it might have been a bit colder. Joonas Donskoi said the same thing. But everybody said the scenery was “gorgeous.”

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