St. Paul, Minn. – Patrice Brisebois played because Rob Blake didn’t.
That was the reality Thursday when Brisebois, who missed the Avalanche’s previous two games with back spasms, returned to the lineup earlier than expected after it became clear in the morning that Blake wasn’t going to be able to play against the Minnesota Wild.
Blake suffered what is believed to be a minor injury to his right hand Tuesday against the Nashville Predators, and Avalanche coach Joel Quenneville said after Colorado’s 4-2 victory over Minnesota that Blake is day to day.
Brisebois played a team-high 25:53 for the Avalanche, much of it on Colorado’s seven power plays.
“I had back surgery seven, eight years ago, so I need to take care of my back,” Brisebois said. “The spasms are going to happen sometime, but the last 24 hours I felt much, much better. Then when I heard Blakie wasn’t playing, I told the trainer (Matt Sokolowski) I was OK to play tonight. He asked me, ‘Are you sure?’ and I said, ‘Yeah.’
“I was supposed to play Saturday. That was our target. We have another practice (today), and I’d be ready for the game. I’m happy that, knock on wood, everything went well. It was a big win for our team.”
It wouldn’t have been a major manpower disaster if Brisebois hadn’t been able to go. Kurt Sauer, a healthy scratch for much of the season’s first half, again was available, and he played his third straight game against the Wild. If both Blake and Brisebois had been out, Bob Boughner – who recently has played right wing – would have returned to his natural position, and winger Frantisek Skladany, recalled from Lowell this week, would have seen his first NHL action. Instead, he was a healthy scratch for the second straight game.
Tanguay as a fan
Avalanche winger Alex Tanguay played for Canada in the World Junior Championship in 1998, and he was one of the Colorado players who watched the start of Canada’s 5-0 victory over Russia in the title game of this year’s tournament Thursday night in Vancouver, British Columbia.
“We just watched a little bit before the game,” Tanguay said. “It’s a big tournament back home. It’s good for them. I’m happy for them.”
Footenote
Colorado returns home to face the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday afternoon.
One potential attraction of that game – the on-ice return of longtime Avalanche defenseman Adam Foote with his new team – isn’t expected to materialize, however. Foote, who signed as a free agent with Columbus last summer, is on the injured list with a groin injury and wasn’t with the Blue Jackets when they opened a three-game trip Thursday at San Jose.
