Don’t want to see the season end for the Nuggets and Avalanche this week? Then stand up. Practice your pompom skills. Work on those vocal cords. And then go do your thing at the Pepsi Center over the next five days.
The Can likely will be filled to capacity with NBA and NHL playoff atmospheres tonight, Tuesday, Thursday and possibly Friday. Problem is, the home teams could be sent packing by the Los Angeles Lakers and the Detroit Red Wings.
The Lakers, the top seed in the Western Conference, lead the Nuggets 3-0 in their best-of-seven series. And the Red Wings, the NHL’s No. 1 Western Conference seed, are up 2-0 against the Avalanche.
For hoops fans, take a tip from Lakers star Kobe Bryant and make a difference in tonight’s Game 4 in Denver.
“(The Nuggets) are an emotional bunch, and if you get the crowd into it, all of a sudden their emotion becomes their biggest strength,” Bryant said.
The Nuggets, who are 2-7 at home in the playoffs since 2004, need to win tonight and Wednesday in L.A. to force Game 6 in Denver on Friday. It doesn’t look promising — particularly because the powder-blue fans appear to have already checked out.
In Saturday’s unsightly Game 3 loss at the Pepsi Center, there was a mass exodus during a timeout with 5:29 left in regulation, and Denver down by 22 points.
Meanwhile, the Avalanche — which a week ago was seemingly as good as anyone in the Stanley Cup chase — must win Tuesday or Thursday in Denver to take the series back to Hockeytown for Game 5 on Saturday.
The Avs figure to have a chance to turn the series around, because they haven’t lost at home yet and forward Peter Forsberg and defenseman Scott Hannan might return to the lineup for Game 3 on Tuesday.
Neither played in Game 2 on Saturday in Detroit.
“We will get to regroup after a couple of tough games here,” Avs coach Joel Quenneville said after Saturday’s 5-1 loss. “We will have home ice and we get a couple extra days off in between to recapture some momentum.
“We’ve got to be smart, play strong hockey from start to finish. We also have to manage the puck a bit better. There are certainly more areas we need to be more efficient and we look to win Game 3 as our priority and objective.”
HOCKEY FIGHTS CANCER
Hockey Guild to host four-day festival.
The Denver-based Hockey Guild is hosting its “Quest for the Crown” charity hockey festival and tournament Thursday through Sunday at Big Bear Ice Arena. The event raises funds and awareness for the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association’s Hockey Fights Cancer Foundation.
More than 10 hockey-related events are planned, including an adult hockey tournament, youth street hockey games, table hockey and sled hockey. “Quest for the Crown” is free to the public, with donations accepted to participate in some events.
Sunday’s finale is the “Skate with the Stars” celebrity game, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Four lucky adult hockey players will be competing with or against a handful of current and former Rocky Mountain Rage and Colorado Eagles players, local media personalities (including KCNC-4 television news anchor Jim Benemann), and others.
Roster spots are up for grabs in a silent auction that begins Thursday. For more information, visit or call Justin Goldman at 720-273-0444.
TV GAMES OF THE WEEK
Avs-Wings: can’t-miss series.
Does the Avalanche have the Detroit Red Wings right where it wants them? Probably not. Not heading into Game 3 on Tuesday (8 p.m., Versus, Altitude). And not even for Game 4 on Thursday (8 p.m., Versus).
But returning home trailing 2-0 to Detroit doesn’t seem all that bad. After all, the Avs just need to get veteran goalie Jose Theodore completely healthy from last week’s flu, and remind veteran forward Peter Forsberg that it’s the playoffs.
Maybe the Avs will need some luck, too. But however things play out, the Avs aren’t the type of team to go down easily.
ROCKIES BEGIN MAY WITH HOMESTAND
Dodgers to visit Coors Field.
After getting swept in a series at Dodger Stadium on Sunday, the Rockies tonight begin a three-game set to conclude April at San Francisco.
Thursday will be an off day for the Rockies, and then the Dodgers come to Denver for three games. Let’s hope the weather cooperates.
EAGLES IN CHL FINALS BEGINNING THURSDAY
Loveland-based Eagles looking for third title.
The Central Hockey League’s Colorado Eagles are taking aim at their third CHL title in five years of existence when the President’s Cup Finals start Thursday.
The defending CHL champion Eagles begin the best-of-seven series at the Arizona Sundogs, with Game 2 on Saturday also at Arizona.
Game 3 and Game 4 — and Game 5 if necessary — are at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland on May 7, May 9 and May 11, respectively.
FRONT ROW JOE
Nemechek scores with Furniture Row.
The NASCAR Sprint Car Series competes Saturday at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway, and an increased number of Denver-area fans figure to follow the action.
Denver-based Furniture Row Racing, owned by Cherry Hills resident Barney Visser, captured its first career Cup pole for Sunday’s race at Talladega, Ala., where Kyle Busch won.
Furniture Row driver Joe Nemechek finished 25th, by far the team’s best result this season.
Nemechek, whose top previous finish was 34th, improved two positions in the standings, to 40th.
Not bad for a single-car team that is the sport’s only Western-based, full-time Cup team.
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
