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Finally healthy, Avalanche eye playoffs

Feb 26, 2008 - 2:09 PM Colorado (31-26-6) at Calgary (33-22-8) 9:00 pm EST

CALGARY, Alberta (Ticker) - With their three most dangerous weapons back on the ice, the Colorado Avalanche appear primed for a playoff push.

The 10th-place Avalanche attempt to improve their position Tuesday when they visit the Calgary Flames.

The Avalanche finally have Joe Sakic, Ryan Smyth and Paul Stastny playing again. On Sunday, the trio played together for the first time since Sakic was forced off the ice with what turned out to be a hernia on November 30.

Despite the presence of the three stars, Colorado squandered a two-goal lead and fell to the Edmonton Oilers, 3-2. Sakic earned an assist on Ben Guite's goal in the first period, but both Stastny and Smyth were held off scoresheet.

The setback left them four points behind the Nashville Predators (32-24-8, 72 points) and the Vancouver Canucks (32-22-8, 72 points) for the eight and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

The Flames (74 points) are just six points ahead of the Avalanche, but are currently third in the West because they lead the Northwest Division by one point over the Minnesota Wild (34-23-5, 73 points).

Calgary has won four straight games, and boasts one of the NHL's most dynamic players in captain Jarome Iginla. The right wing leads the team with 38 goals, which is the third-highest total in the NHL.

Iginla was held scoreless in Friday's 1-0 defeat of the Detroit Red Wings, with Alex Tanguay's unassisted tally standing up as the game-winner.

The Flames lead the season series 2-1-2, including wins in the last two meetings. Iginla has four goals in the five meetings.