Jose Theodore will be in uniform tonight for the Avalanche against the Minnesota Wild. The recently acquired goalie will not start the game, how- ever.
Theodore is slated to back up rookie Peter Budaj, Avs coach Joel Quenneville said Saturday following his team’s 4-2 victory over St. Louis.
“We’ll take things day by day with (Theodore),” Quenneville said. “Peter will start (tonight).”
The Avs said nothing of a setback in Theodore’s recovery from a broken bone in his right heel while with the Montreal Canadiens.
Theodore could make his starting debut Tuesday at home against Phoenix. With Theodore on the bench tonight, the Avs are expected to send Vitaly Kolesnik back to Lowell of the American Hockey League.
Tanguay near return
Avs left winger Alex Tanguay (sprained right knee) skated hard Saturday morning and appears close to returning.
Tanguay, out since March 19, skated a full practice Friday as well, taking contact. The Avs said there is a chance he could play before the end of the team’s current homestand.
Footnotes
Brampton and Barrie split the first two games of their best-of- seven Ontario Hockey League playoff series. If Brampton loses, it would allow the Avs to recall top prospect Wojtek Wolski for the remainder of the season and playoffs. … Avs defender Karlis Skrastins blocked a shot that probably prevented a goal, one that would have tied the game 2-2 in the third period. Entering the game, Skrastins was the NHL’s second-leading shot blocker, with 196. … Ian Laperriere became the first Avs player to reach 20 goals and 100 penalty minutes in the same season since Claude Lemieux and Peter Forsberg in 1998-99.
