Avalanche report

By Rick Sadowski, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published December 19, 2007 at 12:45 a.m.

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Photo by Victor Decolongon / Getty Images

The Avalanche will ride the hot glove of Peter Budaj in goal tonight.

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Another start for Budaj

The Avalanche is sticking with the hot hand, which means Peter Budaj gets another start in goal for tonight's game against the Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks.

"We'll ride it and see where it takes us," coach Joel Quenneville said Tuesday. "He's sharp."

The start will be the fourth in a row for Budaj, the longest stretch this season for him or Jose Theodore, who started five of six games before Budaj returned to the crease Thursday in Nashville.

The Avalanche hasn't lost since, winning in Los Angeles on Monday after a home-and-home series sweep of the Predators.

"The team in front of me is playing really good, and that's huge," said Budaj, who has stopped 80-of-84 shots in the three-game streak. "I feel pretty comfortable, but this is a huge game against the defending champions, especially in their house.

"Every goalie's glad when he plays games and when he helps the team win hockey games, and that's what I was able to do the past three games. I'm very glad that I'm playing a lot. Hopefully, I'm going to keep helping my team to win hockey games and get more chances in the net."

Unlucky Leopold

A dark cloud continues to hover above defenseman Jordan Leopold, who just can't seem to stay healthy.

Leopold is nursing his fifth separate injury - a leg laceration - since joining the Avalanche 18 months ago and he won't play tonight. He played only 8:37 against the Kings after a gash he suffered in a practice reopened.

It was Leopold's third game since he returned from a fractured right wrist that sidelined him for 21 games.

McLeod's debut likely

Leopold's latest injury and the Ducks' penchant for playing a physical style means 6-foot-2, 210-pound forward Cody McLeod is "likely" to make his NHL debut tonight, Quenne ville said.

The Ducks average a league-high 20.3 penalty minutes and have been short-handed 206 times, far more than any other team. The Avalanche averages a league-low 10.5 penalty minutes and has been short-handed 126 times.

McLeod, a 23-year-old rookie, was summoned Sunday from the Lake Erie Monsters in the American Hockey League, where he had six goals, seven assists and 101 penalty minutes in 27 games.

Might as well skate?

The Avalanche skated at Anaheim ICE, the Ducks' practice facility, because the Honda Center wasn't available. The arena was set up for a Van Halen concert that took place Tuesday night.

He said it

"He's a great player, fun to watch. He creates so much - I don't want to say entertainment for the game - but he's challenging to play against. There are so many things that can happen when he's out there."

Quenneville, on defenseman Scott Niedermayer, who rejoined the Ducks after contemplating retirement.

Avalanche at Ducks

* When: 8 MST tonight.

* Where: Honda Center, Anaheim, Calif.

* TV/Radio: Altitude; KKFN-AM (950).

* Leading scorers

Colorado (19-13-1) G A P

C Paul Stastny 15 26 41

RW Milan Hejduk 13 15 28

LW Ryan Smyth 11 17 28

RW Andrew Brunette 5 18 23

LW Wojtek Wolski 11 10 21

Coach:

Joel Quenneville

Anaheim (16-15-5) G A P

C Ryan Getzlaf 13 23 36

RW Corey Perry 18 10 28

D Chris Pronger 5 21 26

LW Chris Kunitz 11 12 23

D Mathieu Schneider 4 12 16

Coach:

Randy Carlyle * Injuries: Colorado - C Tyler Arnason (broken wrist), D Jordan Leopold (leg laceration), LW Brad Richardson (shoulder), C Joe Sakic (groin) and D Kurt Sauer (concussion) are out. Anaheim - LW Brad May (broken foot) is out; D Kent Huskins (knee) and C Brian Sutherby (groin) are day to day.

* Sidelight: Winning the Stanley Cup has boosted attendance for the Ducks, who during the summer capped season-ticket sales at 15,000 in the 17,174-seat Honda Center and started a waiting list for future orders. The Ducks have sold out all 19 home games this season and 52 in a row overall.

* Notes: The Avalanche has won three in a row and five of six. . . . Smyth has five goals and nine assists in the past nine games. . . . Stastny has six goals and 11 assists in 11 games. . . . Hejduk has seven goals and nine assists in 11 games. . . . The Avalanche has killed 9-of-10 penalties in a four-game stretch. . . . The Ducks are 0-2-1 in their past three home games and 1-3-1 in the past five at home.

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