Watch: Avalanche Rookie Cale Makar Scores in Playoff Debut After Frozen Four at UMass

Maker is the seventh player in NHL history to score a postseason goal in his debut.
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Avalanche rookie Cale Makar advanced Colorado's lead to 3–0 in Game 3 of its first-round matchup against the Flames on Monday. The game at the Pepsi Center in Denver also marked Markar's NHL debut.

Makar spent the 2018–19 season leading UMass to the Frozen Four championship game, which the Minutemen lost to Minnesota Duluth. He won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as college hockey's top player on April 12 after tallying 49 points in 41 games. He signed with the Avalanche on April 14. 

Colorado selected Makar with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2017 draft. The defenseman is the fifth player since 1967 to score a postseason goal in his NHL debut, per ESPN.

Makar and the Avalanche entered Monday night tied 1–1 against Calgary. Colorado has not won a postseason series since 2010.


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Michael Shapiro
MICHAEL SHAPIRO

Michael Shapiro is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated. He is a Denver native and 2018 graduate of The University of Texas at Austin.