DENVER — The Avalanche lost to the Minnesota Wild 5-2 Tuesday in a preseason game at Ball Arena.

Here are three takeaways from the Avs’ defeat:

Girard returns

Welcome back, Sam Girard. The Avs’ defenseman made his first game appearance Tuesday since being knocked out of the playoffs with a broken sternum in the St. Louis series. Girard joined Brad Hunt on the team’s top defensive pairing against Minnesota, and over 22:49 of ice time, Girard looked the part of a strong and fluid skater. Avs’ coach Jared Bednar said before the game: “I wouldn’t play him tonight if he wasn’t ready. It’s just getting back and starting to take some contact from opponents instead of your own teammates. He’s been doing everything in training camp with no complications.” Expect Girard to play extended preseason minutes to get his game feel back after a prolonged absence.

Jost explosion

Tyson Jost played in 321 career regular season games for the Avalanche over six seasons before being traded to the Wild. He got his revenge Tuesday. Jost scored twice in the first period on Avs’ backup Pavel Francouz. Both goals resulted from sturdy play at the net-front to clean up pucks. Jost spoke with local Minnesota media during Wild training camp and was asked about watching Colorado win the Stanley Cup. Jost said: “I’m not going to lie. It was extremely tough. Yeah, it sucked. There was some dark nights where I just couldn’t really watch. It’s just disappointing. … Saying that, it made me have a really good summer. I’m grateful and happy to be a part of the Wild.”

Nichushkin update

Valeri Nichushkin didn’t play Tuesday against Minnesota. But the injured winger is taking positive steps toward a return. Nichushkin (foot) removed his non-contact sweater for morning skate as a partial participant. Bednar said: “He’s come along quite nicely here. We’ve made some adjustments to his skate to make him feel more comfortable. He was working on his own even on the day off here. He was able to join the group here for a little. He’s still non-contact at this point, but I expect him to join the group sometime soon.” The Avs are hopeful that Nichushkin is available for opening night Oct. 12 against the Chicago Blackhawks. But there is no rush. Colorado should ease Nichushkin back into the lineup and rely on its talented depth.