Marek Svatos is coming off a two-goal performance against the Calgary Flames, a feat that wouldn’t normally be a surprise for the Avalanche winger. However, Monday’s heroics served as his first multigoal game since before he underwent major knee surgery 11 months ago.
“It was nice to bury my chances,” Svatos said Wednesday after practice. “Before then, I was creating chances but just couldn’t put it in. Hopefully my confidence is higher and I’m going to have a good month.”
Svatos had a team-leading 26 goals late last season before tearing his anterior cruciate ligament with 16 games to go. The Slovakian enters tonight’s game against the visiting Dallas Stars with 11 goals in 44 games this season.
“He’s got great hands around the net and he’s continuing to battle to get into those positions to score,” Avs coach Tony Granato said of Svatos, 26. “We need him to be consistent in his production offensively, but his effort has been there all the way through, and now I think he’s got more confidence with his jump and the way it’s going.”
Svatos, who had a career-high 32 goals in 2005-06, said his knee is sore “every other day,” and he still battles mentally with how hard he can push it.
“That kid came from a big, big surgery, but you could see him getting better after Christmas,” Avs winger Ian Laperriere said. “He’s a goal-scorer, he’s special, and what I really love about the kid is he’s got a big engine — despite his size, he’s in traffic all the time.
“He wants to go to the net and score goals, and we need more of that from him. I think the last game will be huge for his confidence.”
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
Dallas at Colorado
7 p.m. tonight, ALT, KCKK 1510 AM
Spotlight on Stephane Robidas: The Stars’ small veteran defenseman leads the team with a plus-13 rating and in average ice time at 24:21. Robidas, 31, has exceeded expectations since being drafted in the seventh round of the 1995 draft by the Canadiens.
Stars: They beat Calgary 3-1 on Tuesday, a night after Colorado upset the Flames 4-3 in Denver. . . . Dallas is on a season-high five-game winning streak. . . . The Stars’ power play is 25th in the NHL at 16.4 percent, but the unit has produced five man-advantage goals in the past three games. . . . Dallas is 16-7-3 since parting ways with winger/agitator Sean Avery. . . . Goalie Marty Turco has allowed only 12 goals in his past seven games.
Avalanche: Defenseman Adam Foote will practice today, coach Tony Granato said, and could be available during the upcoming three-game road trip against St. Louis, Columbus and Minnesota. . . . Goalie Peter Budaj will be in the net tonight. . . . Center Paul Stastny, who is recovering from a broken forearm, worked on stickhandling before practice Wednesday. . . . Granato said Turco “is by far” the NHL’s best stickhandler and passer, and that the Avs must focus on placement with dump-ins to establish a forecheck. — Mike Chambers, The Denver Post
