My passion for game worn jerseys and telling their stories has been well documented here for many years. I have quietly collected Avalanche game used and goal scored pucks throughout the years as well. These pucks, just like jerseys, have stories to tell. As expected, I really enjoy doing the research and exploring the details and figured it was time to share some puck history here too. Hoping you appreciate these small pieces of Colorado Avalanche history as much as I do.

There have been many changes in the goal collecting world the last few seasons. In turn, trying to keep up with what each hockey club is doing with the goal pucks from their home games takes some time and homework. Now that teams are playing every other team in the league again it was time for me to jump back into the goal puck game. Luckily, just before the last Toronto Maple Leafs game used auction ended, I came across a link that led me to all the goal pucks from the Avalanche/Maple Leafs game from earlier this month. The Avs scored three goals that night, two of which were scored by former Leaf Nazem Kadri. Here is the other Avalanche goal from that game.

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THE DATE: December 1, 2021

THE VENUE: Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

THE DETAILS: Samuel Girard at 19:58 of the first period. This was Girard’s second goal of the season and the 19th goal of his career. This goal gave the Avalanche some hope at the time, leaving them down 3-1 going into the first intermission. Discussion regarding the rest of the game is not needed. Let’s just say the Maple Leafs played well that night.

The new tracking pucks the NHL is using this season, along with the trackers the players wear behind their right shoulders in their jerseys, provide some pretty cool details/analytics for us collectors. (You can tell this is a new tracking puck because of the little circles around the Maple Leaf logo on the front of the puck and the NHL logo on the back of the puck.) As seen on the certificate the Maple Leafs provide with each goal puck, Girard was ten seconds into his shift at the time he scored. As for the other details, I believe the speed of the shot is accurate. The other two details, however, are incorrect on the card. He scored on a one-time snap shot (rather than the wrist shot listed on the card) and beat Maple Leaf goaltender Jack Campbell low glove side (rather than the “low middle” detail that is listed on the card.) Even with the incorrect details, it’s a really good looking certification that comes with the goal pucks. Well done, Toronto.

THE ASSISTS: Nathan MacKinnon and Logan O’Connor

THE HIGHLIGHT: Please fast forward to Sam Girard’s jersey number 49 seconds of the video to check out the highlight.

The hockey world, as well as the world in general, has been through a lot the last two years. It’s good to see the schedule, as well as goal puck collecting, starting to get back to somewhere near normal. While the recent shutdown is discouraging there’s nothing like a new goal puck for the collection to help things feel like they did a while back.

Thanks for checking out the post, friends. I will post another one soon.

Until the next goal puck, please take care and #GoAvsGo.