Avalanche report: Liles back in fold

By Rick Sadowski, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published February 26, 2009 at 7:56 a.m.

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Avalanche at Devils

* When: 5 MST tonight.

* Where: Prudential Center, Newark, N.J.

* TV/radio: Altitude; KCKK-AM (1510).

* Leading scorers

Colorado (28-32-1)	G	A	Pts.
LW Ryan Smyth	20	30	50
RW Milan Hejduk	23	25	48
C Wojtek Wolski	14	22	36
C Paul Stastny	10	22	32
RW Marek Svatos	13	15	28

Coach: Tony Granato

New Jersey (38-19-3)	G	A	P
LW Zach Parise	35	35	70
LW Patrik Elias	23	41	64
RW J. Langenbrunner	18	32	50
C Travis Zajac	16	33	49
RW Brian Gionta	13	32	45

Coach: Brent Sutter *

Injuries: Colorado - D Kyle Cumiskey (shoulder), RW David Jones (shoulder) and C Joe Sakic (back, hand) are on injured reserve; D John-Michael Liles (wrist) is probable. New Jersey - D Paul Martin (upper body) is day to day.

* Sidelight: The Avalanche will make its first visit to the 17,625-seat Prudential Center, which opened last season. The Avalanche didn't have much luck at the Meadowlands Arena, now called the Izod Center, posting a 2-5-2 regular-season record there since 1995-96.

* Notes: The Avalanche assigned defenseman Darcy Campbell to the Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League. He was recalled Feb. 19 but didn't play in any games . . . The Devils have won four straight home games and are 14-4 overall since Jan. 13.

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John-Michael Liles is expected to play against the Devils after missing four games with a left wrist injury.

Liles, who was injured Feb. 15 in Detroit, joined the team Wednesday after staying behind in Colorado for treatment when the Avalanche left for the six-game trip.

Liles is the team's top scoring defenseman with seven goals and 21 assists in 55 games.

Raycroft back in goal

Goalie Andrew Raycroft will start for the Avalanche for the fifth time in six games. Raycroft has allowed 12 goals while winning three of his past four decisions.

He has a 4-4 career record against the Devils with a 2.77 goals-against average.

Granato backs effort

Though displeased with the Avalanche's record, coach Tony Granato isn't unhappy with the team's work ethic.

But he wants to see how players handle the remaining 21 games.

"You want to see guys compete from the start of the season through the end, especially when times get tough," Granato said. "That's what you're looking for because you're looking for character, for players that you want to go to battle with and will battle through tough times.

"That's what character is, and that's what this organization is all about - winning and having a winning tradition and having players that care about winning.

"I'm not going to question the effort level. I got a group that competes and competes hard. Sometimes we don't compete smart and execute like we need to in certain situations, but they compete and they work."

Goalie back in minors

With Brodeur healthy, the Devils sent Scott Clemmensen, 31, to their American Hockey League affiliate in Lowell, Mass.

Clemmensen, who went 25-13-1 with a 2.39 goals-against average and .917 saves percentage in Brodeur's absence, has discussed the possibility of a trade with Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello.

The Devils' other goalie is Kevin Weekes.

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