The puck slammed harmlessly off the glass behind the net, but the sequence preceding it was more important anyway.
With a burst of speed that didn’t exist a year ago, Taylor Makar powered through the middle of the ice, through defenders and into the offensive zone for a self-created breakaway. The 22-year-old forward with the familiar name just happened to miss the shot.
But that had been common enough throughout the week as Avalanche prospects converged in Centennial for 2023 development camp. Glass had shattered multiple times already due to off-target shots. It was Makar’s skating improvement that mattered.