The Avalanche home crowd erupted in a chant almost every time Matt Duchene touched the puck in a Game 1 victory over the Predators.
“DUCHENE SUCKS!”
Duchene, nearly five years removed from his blockbuster 2017 trade out of Colorado, took the taunts in stride.
“They’re a passionate fanbase,” Duchene said.
Duchene was Nashville’s lone bright spot Tuesday as the Avs coasted to a 7-2 victory. He cleaned up a rebound on a power-play chance in the second period to finally beat Avalanche goalie Darcy Kuemper. His second score of the night — a transition breakaway goal with 7:34 left in regulation — occurred at the height of Ball Arena’s unison chant to temporarily silence a sellout crowd.