Alex Galchenyuk Stars in Colorado Eagles Win

Imagine this if you will for me, you get a chance to tryout for a Stanley Cup champion team and you get hurt during training camp. That is exactly what happened to Alex Galchenyuk this season. The journeyman has made his way around the NHL, playing for six teams in the league since 2014. He finally landed a professional tryout (PTO) with the Avalanche this fall and the worst happened, a lower body injury happened. It was a “significant” one according to coach Bednar, but who added “we will keep in touch with him as he gets healthy.” After he got healthy he has a PTO with the Colorado Eagles and he has shown up for it!

Galchenyuk has been doing pretty well since coming onto the Eagles squad. He has three points in four games (one goal and two assists) and has contributed every game. Last night, Galchenyuk would tally his first goal with the Eagles in overtime as the the team put up a hard fought win over the Coachella Valley Firebirds.

The Firebirds were first to score in the first period with a turnover in the slot making it 1-0 and about eleven minutes left in the in the period. The Eagles were next to strike with a Mikhail Maltsev tip off a Mitchell Vande Sompel shot from the blue line. Justus Annunen was able to keep the Eagles in the game with outstanding goaltending and .972 save percentage throughout the game. The contest was eventually taken to overtime where Jean-Luc Foudy passed the puck up to Brad Hunt who ran it through the zone and snapped a hard shot on net. Galchenyuk was able to corral the rebound to skate through two defenders and shoot it home for the winner.

Alex Galchenyuk gives the @ColoradoEagles a 2-1 OT victory. pic.twitter.com/bqKNPwIz5h

— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) November 19, 2022

It was a way for Galchenyuk wrap up the game and to get his first goal as an Eagle. There is no doubt that if he continues to perform the way that he has, he will gain himself an AHL contract if not a two-way contract and was the hope at the beginning of the season. In a depleted Eagles team, Galchenyuk’s 643 NHL games of experience will certainly come in handy for such a young team. If he can gain a two-way contract, the Avalanche could use the depth this year with the injuries that they have had. I don’t think we will have to wait much longer, but we shall see.