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Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard has suffered a broken sternum and will miss the rest of the playoffs, the team announced on Tuesday.
Girard, 22, was injured in the first period of Monday's Game 2 against the Dallas Stars when he was checked into the boards by Stars forward Alexander Radulov. He remained in the game and played a total of 19:53 before leaving in the third period.
The Avalanche said Girard will not require surgery and is expected to make a full recovery.
Girard has been a key player for the Avalanche this season, averaging over 23 minutes of ice time per game. He has one goal and four assists in nine playoff games.
Without Girard, the Avalanche will have to rely even more on their top defensemen, including Cale Makar and Erik Johnson. They will also need to get more production from their forwards, who have been struggling to score goals in the playoffs.
Source Info: https://www.mapplenews.com/2022/05/avalanche-blues-samuel-girard-injury.html