That one was for Vlada and Saveliy.
When Ilya Solovyov buried his first NHL goal, he leapt into the arms of Brent Burns with a smile as wide as the Front Range. He gave the Colorado Avalanche some breathing room in a 4-0 win Saturday afternoon against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and it was a special moment for the 25-year-old defenseman.
Solovyov is happy to be in the NHL, but he has toiled in the background for weeks at a time this year as the club’s seventh defenseman. When one of the best moments of his career arrived, it was clear who he gets to cherish it with was as important as the milestone itself.