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Healthy Avalanche take aim at the playoffs

Feb 27, 2008 - 1:34 PM Colorado (32-26-6) at Vancouver (32-22-8) 10:00 pm EST

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Ticker) - The Colorado Avalanche have all their main parts healthy and contributing just in time for a playoff push, and they're adding some former stars to the mix.

The Avalanche will look to knock off another Northwest Division opponent when they visit the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday.

Captain Joe Sakic, center Paul Stastny and left wing Ryan Smyth are all back on the ice together after lengthy absences due to injury. The trio hit the ice together for just the second time since they returned on Tuesday, and the impact was immediate.

Stastny and Smyth each posted a goal and an assist - Smyth's first points in seven games since his return - as Colorado downed the Calgary Flames, 3-2, in overtime.

Stastny tallied the overtime winner off a beautiful assist from Smyth, and the two points moved the Avalanche (70 points) within two of Vancouver (72 points) and Nashville (32-24-8, 72 points) for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

In addition to the injury returns, the Colorado front office went to work this week, signing former MVP Peter Forsberg for the rest of the season and trading for defensemen Adam Foote and Ruslan Salei. Foote played over 18 minutes on Tuesday, Salei may be available on Wednesday and Forsberg could be on the ice this weekend.

The Canucks have won four in a row and own a 17-11-3 record on home ice this season. One of the worst offenses in the West all season, Vancouver has totaled 18 goals in its last five games.

Daniel Sedin and twin brother Henrik have combined for 12 points in the past four games.

The Avalanche own a 2-1-1 edge in the season series, including a 6-2 win here on February 9. Milan Hejduk and Marek Svatos scored two goals apiece in the win.