Avalanche roll call:
* Alex Tanguay? The left wing, who was leading the team in scoring when injured against San Jose in early March, intends to play tonight against Phoenix in the Avalanche’s final home game of the regular season.
* Jose Theodore? The recently acquired goaltender is planning to make his first start in an Avalanche sweater against the Coyotes.
* Peter Budaj? The young goalie is trying to keep his chin up.
* A playoff berth? Well, that’s a good question. With four games to go in the regular season, Colorado still could finish with the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference – though that’s unlikely – or as low as ninth, which would lead to tee times after the end of the regular season. (At least there, you don’t have to worry about running into a hot goaltender.)
With the Avalanche trying to remain in the playoff hunt, Tanguay said Monday that the plan was for him to return to the lineup against the Coyotes after missing 10 games with a sprained knee. He said he would play unless his knee “is really bad” this morning, in the wake of his hard skating at Monday’s practice.
“Obviously, if we had won the last two or three in a row, it would have been maybe a little different,” he said. “Maybe I would have taken a little more skating time before playing. But it feels good and hopefully it can withstand what’s coming.
“I’m just hoping to be able to help the guys out. We’re in a crucial situation, and I hope I can chip in.”
During the five-game homestand that concludes tonight, the Avalanche has beaten only the two worst teams in the Western Conference – Chicago and St. Louis. Colorado – albeit with injury problems – has not been playing well down the stretch. And even if Colorado qualifies for the playoffs, finishing in seventh or eighth would mean a first-round draw against Detroit or Dallas.
So there is an unprecedented sense of stretch-run urgency for the Avalanche in the sense that this franchise never has missed the playoffs during its time in Denver. And now it is counting on a goaltender who was the NHL’s Hart and Vezina Trophy winner four years ago, but more recently has been in the Montreal Canadiens’ doghouse and on the injured list with a fractured heel.
Theodore, who played nearly 55 minutes Sunday in the loss to Minnesota after relieving Budaj, said Monday he didn’t stiffen up or get sore overnight and would be ready to face the Coyotes.
“I felt pretty good after the game,” Theodore said. “I just went home and went to sleep. Today was a good practice, and it was long with a lot of shots, which is good. … I feel really good. There’s no pain.”
Theodore, traded to the Avalanche on March 8, is living with Colorado defenseman Patrick Brisebois, his former Montreal teammate, and Brisebois’ family.
“I’m under his wing, which is nice,” Theodore said. “I’d rather be with him and his family than be alone at the hotel.”
Meanwhile, Budaj – who had started 14 consecutive games before being pulled when the Wild scored twice on its first three shots – was trying to be philosophical.
“I didn’t stop the puck and I got pulled,” he said. “It’s tough when you get pulled so early in the game, and you don’t have a chance to battle back. But (coach Joel Quenneville) thought that would be the best way for the team. … I have to try to stay sharp because you never know what will happen.”
Budaj, who also played for the Slovakian Olympic team in February, said he could “look in the mirror and say that I did the best I could” in his streak of consecutive starts.
“We rather would be where Calgary is right now (first place in the Northwest Division), but it could be worse,” Budaj said. “At least we have everything in our hands for making the playoffs. We don’t need any help.”
Staff writer Terry Frei can be reached at 303-820-1895 or tfrei@denverpost.com.
