Byram likely at full strength after elbow to the head

Avalanche defenseman Bo Byram practiced in a regular jersey on Friday after leaving Thursday’s game with an apparent head injury late in the first period of a 7-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks.

Byram, who was limited to 19 games last season because of multiple concussions, was cleared from concussion protocol after absorbing an elbow from Canucks captain Bo Horvat. Byram is tied for third in NHL rookie scoring with eight points (three goals) in 11 games for the Avs (5-5-1).

“Early indication says that he’s a player for us tomorrow,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said postpractice of Byram. “You’re always nervous about it after a player leaves the game. You don’t know what he’s going to feel like the next day. In this scenario, I think he was probably a little nervous about it too because of his history. But he woke up this morning feeling great, worked out, came on the ice, and made it to the whole practice.”

Colorado, which will continue to play without top center Nathan Mackinnon (lower-body injury), will conclude a two7 p.m. Saturday, ALT, 92.5 FM game homestand Saturday against the San Jose Sharks. The game is the Avs’ annual Hockey Fights Cancer night.

The Avs had all of their defensemen available for the first time this season against Vancouver. Perhaps that’s why they dominated — even after losing Byram and playing with just five defensemen the rest of the way.

Vancouver defenseman Tucker Poolman was suspended for two games without pay by the NHL on Friday for highsticking Avalanche forward Kiefer Sherwood. Poolman was assessed a match penalty midway through the third period in the Canucks’ 7-1 loss in Denver on Thursday night. The suspension will cost Poolman $25,000.