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Avalanche report, February 9

By Rick Sadowski, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published February 9, 2008 at 12:45 a.m.

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Colorado's Paul Stastny says his time off because of an appendectomy has left him eager to return to the ice.

Photo by The Rocky / 2007

Colorado's Paul Stastny says his time off because of an appendectomy has left him eager to return to the ice.

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Stastny raring to go

Paul Stastny is eager to return to the Avalanche lineup after sitting out nine games to recover from a appendectomy performed Jan. 17, but the second-year center remained on injured reserve Friday and was listed as questionable for the team's meeting with the Vancouver Canucks tonight.

"It's going to be exciting when I do get back out there," said Stastny, who hopes to be activated today. "When you miss as many games as I have - especially with the standings the way they are - it's almost like you get a little break from hockey and now I have that much more energy.

"It's a long season, and sometimes you have a couple games where you're out of it, but when you miss nine games. . . . I'll be ready to go."

The Avalanche has managed to hang tough in the Northwest Division and Western Conference playoff races but certainly could use Stastny, especially with Joe Sakic and Ryan Smyth still on the injured list.

"We have a lot of grit and determination on this team," Stastny said. "We've found different ways to win. Losing me, Joe and 'Smitty' . . . our defense and goaltending have really picked up the slack. Sometimes it was tough getting a couple goals, but now things are starting to bounce our way a little bit."

Stastny, who still leads the team in scoring, with 49 points, never has missed so much time because of injury or illness.

"It's tough," he said. "You watch every game on TV and every game's been so close. It's tough not being out there and having some things in your control. I almost feel like the coaches must feel; you're in the press box just watching."

Hensick adds power

The Avalanche power play suddenly has come to life, and it has been triggered by rookie T.J. Hensick.

After going 1-for-18 with the man advantage in a six-game stretch, the Avalanche has gone 4-for-11 in the past three games, with Hensick scoring all four goals.

"We always felt he could score and produce," coach Joel Quenne ville said of the 22-year-old center. "The one thing we've been looking for all year is to get our power play started, and he's been the catalyst. That unit is kind of by trial and error. It was probably more of an accident that it came together."

Hensick has been skating with Jaroslav Hlinka and Tyler Arnason on power plays, and the trio has turned into an effective unit.

"We're entering the zone well and making plays, seeing each other behind the net," Hensick said. "We're setting up well. Hopefully, that power play can continue at a good rate."

Theodore feels strong

Jose Theodore will start in goal again after his 30-save performance in a 3-1 win against San Jose on Wednesday. He has limited teams to two goals or fewer in eight of his past 12 starts.

"For me, it's not about being in a groove, it's just about finally playing the way I pretty much always was playing in my career," said Theodore, who gives much of the credit for his resurgence to goalie coach Jeff Hackett. "I know when I got traded here (from Montreal in March 2006), obviously, everybody knew that I wasn't playing the way I should. You get your confidence to the next level and you get wins."

Managing the pain

Canucks defenseman Willie Mitchell has missed eight games because of a fractured vertebra in his back, but coach Alain Vigneault said it is a stress fracture and that Mitchell should be able to play with it as long as he can handle the pain.

"All the doctors that have checked him out have all come to the same conclusion, that with this type of stress fracture, if you can endure the pain, there's no way that he can aggravate it, that it could be season- ending or career-threatening," Vigneault told reporters. "It's just a matter of handling the pain, and managing it."

sadowskir@RockyMountainNews.com

Avalanche at Canucks

* When: 8 MST tonight.

* Where: General Motors Place, Vancouver, British Columbia.

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

* Leading scorers

Colorado (29-21-5) G A P

C Paul Stastny 17 32 49

RW Milan Hejduk 18 19 37

LW A. Brunette 11 24 35

LW Wojtek Wolski 14 20 34

RW Marek Svatos 22 5 27

Coach:

Joel Quenneville

Van. (27-21-7) G A P

LW Daniel Sedin 24 30 54

C Henrik Sedin 11 43 54

LW Markus Naslund 19 24 43

LW Taylor Pyatt 13 16 29

C Ryan Kesler 13 11 24

Coach:

Alain Vigneault

* Injuries: Colorado - D Kyle Cumiskey (groin), C Joe Sakic (hernia surgery), Stastny (appendectomy) and LW Ryan Smyth (fractured ankle) are on injured reserve. Vancouver - D Kevin Bieksa (leg) and C Brendan Morrison (wrist) are on injured reserve; D Lukas Krajicek (shoulder), D Aaron Miller (foot) and D Willie Mitchell (back) are day to day.

* Sidelight: The Canucks' 2-1 win Thursday in Atlanta was their first regulation victory since Jan. 3 against the New York Rangers.

* Notes: The Avalanche has won five of its past six road games and is 7-3-2 in the past 12 games overall. . . . The Avalanche has scored a power- play goal in three consecutive games, the first time that has happened since Dec. 5-9. . . . Vancouver has sold out 200 consecutive home games, the second-longest active streak in the NHL behind Minnesota (301). . . . The Canucks are coming off a 1-1-2 trip. They have lost four of their past five home games and are 3-7-3 in their past 13 games overall.

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