Pioneers’ Hillman makes his NHL debut with Blackhawks

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Central Division

WI n storybook fashion, defenseman Blake Hillman made his NHL debut Friday night in Denver — where he played for the University of Denver Pioneers for three years ending Tuesday, when he signed with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Hillman, donning No. 55 for the Blackhawks — he was No. 25 for DU — started for Chicago and was paired with Jordan Oesterle. Hillman produced the game’s first shot against the Avalanche at the Pepsi Center.

Hillman, 22, helped the Pioneers win the 2017 NCAA championship at the United Center in Chicago. The Minnesota native was a 2016 sixth-round draft pick of the Blackhawks, and he became the third player selected in the last three rounds of that draft to play in the NHL.

Hillman was among four DU players to sign NHL contracts this week and give up their remaining NCAA eligibility. Junior classmates Troy Terry and Dylan Gambrell signed with the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks, respectively, and sophomore Henrik Borgstrom agreed to contract terms with the Florida Panthers.

The Avalanche will play Terry and the Ducks on Sunday at Anaheim, and Gambrell could be in the lineup Thursday when Colorado visits the Sharks.

Scratched.

Defenseman Erik Johnson, who leads the Avs in ice time, was scratched because of an injury. Johnson didn’t practice with the team Thursday, but coach Jared Bednar said he was taking a maintenance day.

1-2 punch.

The Avs got their ideal goaltending situation back Friday, with Semyon Varlamov returning from an illness and Jonathan Bernier from a cut/infection on his right hand. Both missed Wednesday’s 2-1 loss to Philadelphia, and Friday marked just the fourth time in the last 20 games both Varlamov and Bernier were in the lineup.

Forward Sven Andrighetto returned from a threegame injury absence — the same leg injury that forced him to miss 28 games from Jan. 2 to March 6. … Colorado’s healthy scratches were forwards Vladislav Kamenev and Dominic Toninato, goalie Andrew Hammond and defensemen Duncan Siemens and Anton Lindholm. Forward Colin Wilson and defenseman Mark Barberio remain out with injuries, along with Johnson. … Chicago captain Jonathan Toews was scratched. … Former Avs forward Andreas Martinsen played in his sixth game with Chicago. He made his debut with the team against the Avalanche earlier this month.