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Keeler: Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon nailed it: “There’s only one Val Nichushkin.” With Big Val back, Avs’ rout of Red Wings felt like 2022 never left.

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Keeler: Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon nailed it: “There’s only one Val Nichushkin.” With Big Val back, Avs’ rout of Red Wings felt like 2022 never left.


Val Nichushkin, Human Blind Spot, remains to be higher with one working ankle than most NHL forwards are on two.

The Avalanche’s massive ahead has performed in simply 16 video games this season. Colorado’s received 11 of these dangerous boys, together with Monday’s Martin Luther King Day beatdown of the Detroit Purple Wings.

The cracks within the Avs’ roller-coaster Stanley Cup protection run deeper than that, after all. However it’s an awfully telling stat.

“There’s just one Val within the league,” teammate Nathan MacKinnon stated after the Avs’ 6-3 victory, one which noticed No. 13 contribute some extent and 4 photographs in his first recreation of 2023.

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“He’s a presence,” Avs ahead Evan Rodrigues added.

“An enormous man,” famous goaltender Pavel Francouz, who received his second straight begin. “He’s harmful.”

He completes them, doesn’t he? Goalies can’t see round Massive Val. Defensemen can’t bump him off his station. Even when down a gear, No. 13 remains to be 76 inches of indignant. He nonetheless roots to a spot on the ice the way in which a mighty oak does to delicate earth.

“I understand how arduous it’s in case you park such a man in entrance of your face,” Francouz chuckled, as a result of he’s had the 6-foot-4 Nichushkin parked in entrance of his mug at observe for ages. “And he’s not petrified of the puck, so it’s an enormous assist for the blokes on the ability play.

“You’re all the time battling for the road (of sight), however there’s a variety of guys going forwards and backwards, and generally you simply can’t discover (the puck). So when that occurs (with Val), and when one of many prime gamers comparable to Nathan MacKinnon are capturing, it’s a lethal mixture.”

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For just a few hours Monday, they have been lethal. Lethal, quick, and scoring for enjoyable. It was as if Spring 2022 dropped in for a go to, propped its toes up on the again of Purple Wings goalie Ville Husso and lit up an enormous victory cigar. Identical to previous instances.

“When (Nichuskin) is in our lineup, he makes us higher on the finish of the day,” veteran ahead Andrew Cogliano advised me after the sport. “We want him. We want depth, (the place) guys return to (their) typical spots. And when he’s within the lineup, guys try this.”

Scorching tubs. Chilly tubs. Duct tape. Chewing gum. Piano wire. No matter it takes to maintain Massive Val on the ice for the following 5 months, the Avs must do it.

Nichushkin wasn’t remotely on top of things Monday. There have been shifts that regarded rusty, others that regarded cautious.

He STILL scared the holy crud out of the Wings. Particularly as soon as the hosts hit the ability play.

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On the Avs’ first stint with the additional man, Nichushkin mistimed one centering go, then appeared to mishit one other earlier than the benefit obtained killed off. But the stretch additionally supplied the Avs — who’d made good on 2 for his or her earlier 27 with the benefit — at the very least three good cracks behind the web. Simply having No. 13 as a stationary object created freedom to maneuver, freedom to shoot.

Lastly, on Colorado’s third energy play, that motion broke via Detroit’s flagging rampart. The large Avs ahead camped out in entrance of the crease, a rock because the waves of burgundy swirled round him, screening Husso lengthy sufficient for Cale Makar to rifle the hosts to a 2-0 cushion from the blue line.

“Whenever you get to the particular groups, I feel it’s all concerning the ability set and what they’ll present to the group on the ability play,” coach Jared Bednar famous, “and (Nichushkin) is a giant a part of it.”

With 4:07 left within the second stanza, Nichushkin tied up his man instantly to Husso’s proper, making a site visitors jam alongside the netminder’s stick aspect. Because the scrum ensued, MacKinnon had sufficient house to zip from behind, crashing the left aspect and nudging a silky wrister previous Husso for a 5-0 cushion.

“Getting our greatest participant within the (Stanley Cup) Finals again in our lineup,” MacKinnon stated later, “is massive for our group.”

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There’s just one Val. One normal.

Monday reminded everybody that the embers of 2021-22 are nonetheless there. Reminded Ball Enviornment that massive No. 13, even at 75%, remains to be harmful. And that each time he’s on the ice, even on one good wheel, the Avs are, too.

Need extra Avalanche information? Join the Avalanche Insider to get all our NHL evaluation.



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Denver, CO

Keeler: Broncos stadium with retractable roof? Broncos Country thinks its coming, whether they like it or not

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Keeler: Broncos stadium with retractable roof? Broncos Country thinks its coming, whether they like it or not


Burnham Yard or Lone Tree? Frankly, my dear, Tom Jacobsen doesn’t give a dome.

“What makes football so unique is the fact that they will play in anything,” the Broncos lifer told me. Jacobsen, 54, has had season tickets in the family since 1965 and has been attending games at Mile High and its successor, Empower Field, since 1976.

“So when you strip that away, and so many more places are stripping that away, you lose what makes it cool, to me.”

The Broncos’ lease at Empower Field is up after the 2030 season. A stadium usually takes four-ish years to build. Entities with ties to the Broncos have been buying up land around Burnham Yard in Lincoln Park since last August. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston told The Post on July 9 that he’ll have “more to say in the week to come” on the franchise’s alleged Burnham Yard interest.

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Officially, the team’s played it coy. But it doesn’t take a whole lot of yarn to connect the push pins on your evidence board.

“I’m 1,000% no dome,” Jacobsen laughed. “No. Dome.”

Tom’s a member in good standing in the Broncos Quarterback Club, the team’s official booster club since 1964. Even those in the club have been divided for years when it comes to the notion of seeing their favorite team playing under a roof. Even a retractable one.

What’s different now, Jacobsen says? His side — “no dome” — is now in the minority, at least among Quarterback Club membership.

“My personal feeling is that I’m going to be on the losing side of this argument,” he said. “I think the money aspect to everything else that comes with a dome is going to (win out).

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“I’m sure there’ll be a point where I’m sitting at the game with my wife, where I’ll look at her and say, ‘You know what? This is nice, not wearing 10 layers of clothes.’ I know there’s the romantic side of me, from a football tradition standpoint, (that would hate it).”



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Denver, CO

90s across the Denver metro area for the next two days

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90s across the Denver metro area for the next two days


DENVER – It will be a toasty start to the week. It’s nice and mild this morning, but temperatures will quickly climb into the upper 80s by lunch and then mid-90s by 3 p.m. These afternoon highs are a few degrees above normal for mid-July.

Temperatures are going to stay hot for the first couple days of the week, with more mid- to upper 90s on Tuesday. If you’re spending time outside, just be sure to take breaks, drink plenty of water, and find some shade when you can.

We’ll see mostly sunny skies early on, with a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Even if it doesn’t rain in your area, storms could send out strong gusty winds-those sudden blasts that kick up dust and knock over lawn chairs. The risk of severe weather is low today, but we could see some stronger storms on Tuesday over the northeastern plains.

Wednesday brings some changes. A cold front is expected to move through, which will cool things off a bit and increase our chances for more widespread rain. Storms could be more active across both the mountains and plains, so plan on a higher chance of getting wet that day.

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By Friday, the heat will start to creep back in, with temperatures climbing back into the 90s and the usual pattern of afternoon storms returning. It won’t be a total washout any day, but keep your umbrella or rain jacket nearby just in case something drifts over your area in the afternoon or evening.

DENVER WEATHER LINKS: Hourly forecast | Radars | Traffic | Weather Page | 24/7 Weather Stream

Click here to watch the Denver7 live weather stream.





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Denver, CO

Capital One Lounge Crowds Are Out Of Control In Denver—Use This Quick Trick For Instant Privacy – View from the Wing

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Capital One Lounge Crowds Are Out Of Control In Denver—Use This Quick Trick For Instant Privacy – View from the Wing


Capital One Lounge Crowds Are Out Of Control In Denver—Use This Quick Trick For Instant Privacy

Capital One’s Denver airport lounge could be great, but it’s too small. As a result, the place gets packed and waits to get in can be long. Once inside, the food is good, but too many seats don’t have power outlets. There is a trick to find some privacy amidst the chaos, though.

I visited the lounge a couple of times recently. The first time, during the early evening, there was a wait to get in that stretched more than 40 minutes. That’s typical of Dallas, as well.

The lounge is near gate A34. All of the concourses are connected by train, so from the middle of the B or C gates plan for about 15 minutes each way.

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In the late afternoon, the lounge showed estimating a 55 minute wait. I added myself to the wait list. I was showing up at #72 (!).

And, in fact, it took a little over 40 minutes to be welcomed into the lounge.

When I arrived there was a long line. That’s not the line to get it – it’s the line of people showing up who aren’t on a wait list. They just come to the lounge, figuring they can get in. Now, they get to the front and a few questions quickly reveal that many of them aren’t eligible unless they pay. They’re trying to get in with Amex cards, with Chase Sapphire Reserve, or with Priority Pass. They can pay for entry on a single visit basis, if they wish! Those who have eligible cards (or are willing to pay) get added to the wait list and the are going to need to come back in about an hour.

If you see a line like this and it’s your turn, do not wait in it! It is not for you! Just walk right past the staff member at the front, or walk by mentioning to them that it’s your turn to enter the lounge. I headed up the escalator. There, there was a line of people whose turn it was also! So I had to wait in line – as time ticked by on my allowable 10 minutes to show up. They aren’t going to turn you away if you don’t make it to the front of the line in time, though.

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The lounge has a bar and dining room, work rooms and a conference room, a shower suite and individual restrooms.

When the lounge is especially busy, look to the work rooms. These are reserved at the front desk – and as packed as the lounge seemed to be, these were empty. They aren’t at the windowline, but they give you space and furniture.

Overall though there was seating once you’re inside. Capital One does a good job managing queues so that the lounge itself remains nice even when there are lines. You can get access to the bar, too. My biggest complaint about the lounge is that not all seats had access to power.

The food and beverage offerings here are good. I enjoyed both an evening offering and a breakfast. I like the current menu better than Dallas, where food seems to have declined.

The afternoon and evening food offerings include:

  • toy box caprese salad
  • petite charcuterie
  • arugula salad
  • spicy tofu poke bowl curried cauliflower
  • garbanzo bean dahl
  • pasta bolognese
  • pasta pomodoro
  • chocolate brownie, macarons, croissant, caramel pecan cookie

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My second visit was on a morning and there was no line around 8:30 a.m.

It must have been early for some people!

But there was plenty more seating open throughout the lounge.

Morning offerings included:

  • overnight maple oats
  • strawberry guava chia parfait
  • strawberry banana smoothie bowl
  • chorizo empanadas
  • three cheese frittata
  • tofu scramble
  • elk sausage kolaches

Grab ‘n Go was good but also less than I used to see in Dallas (but there’s seemingly less grab ‘n go options there as well). ‘Grab’ a paper bag and fill up from the fridge and don’t forget chocolate on the way out – each lounge has its own variant of chocolate, here it’s “peaches and hops.”

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Access is via Capital One Venture X card [guest and authorized user access change February 1, 2026]. You need a same day departing boarding pass, and can enter the lounge no earlier than 3 hours prior to your flight – even on connections.



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