How Avalanche’s Ilya Nabokov Has Looked Through Two Preseason Games

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Ilya Nabokov faced a challenging debut in the NHL preseason, appearing in two games and putting his skills to the test. During Monday's match against the Winnipeg Jets, Nabokov didn't make as strong of an impression as he did in the previous night's game at Denver's Ball Arena. The Avalanche lost the game 3-1, with Nabokov coming on for the final 28:47, replacing Scott Wedgewood in goal.

The setup was similar to the team's preseason opener against the Utah Mammoth, where Mackenzie Blackwood started before Nabokov stepped in with 30:30 remaining on the clock.

The 23-year-old Nabokov made just three saves on five shots against the Jets in their meeting, and he didn't face enough pucks to dive into the game fully. However, in the team's 4-1 victory over the Mammoth on Sunday, head coach Jared Bednar was impressed with Nabokov's performance. Bednar praised Nabokov for his speed, saying, "He's fast.

I mean, he's lightning fast. You know, down low." The Avalanche head coach also admired Nabokov's ability to make saves amidst traffic in front of him, noting that the 23-year-old handled a player falling on top of him while in the splits with composure. Bednar pointed out that net-front traffic is one of the biggest challenges Nabokov will have to overcome as he transitions from the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) to playing in North America.

In his first two preseason games, Nabokov has stopped 19 of 22 shots, totaling 59:17 of ice time. It remains to be seen what Bednar has in store for the remaining two games of the preseason, but it wouldn't be surprising to see Nabokov appear in at least one more game.