DENVER – Joonas Donskoi scored three times during Colorado’s five-goal first period, and the Avalanche beat the Arizona Coyotes 9-3 on Wednesday night in front of home fans for the first time this season.
The team invited frontline and health-care workers, first responders, players’ families and employees into Ball Arena. The last time the Avs played in front of a home crowd was on March 11, 2020 — just before the league halted the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To celebrate Donskoi’s accomplishment, fans tossed hats onto the ice — just like old times. Donskoi secured his second career hat trick over a 3:27 span.