One game after a penalty that helped cost the Avalanche any chance at an extra important point, veteran Ruslan Salei kept his spot in the team’s defensive rotation — and John-Michael Liles stayed out — Wednesday against the Los Angeles Kings.
“Like I’ve said before, I’m going to go with the six defensemen I feel give us the best chance to win,” Avs coach Joe Sacco said. “Rusty is a big, strong guy, playing a team I feel has a lot of heavy forwards, who cycle the puck real well down low, and we need some bigger bodies to play against those guys.”
Salei, 35, took a cross-checking penalty away from the puck in overtime of the Avs’ 4-3 loss to the Kings at the Staples Center, leading to the winning goal.
“You don’t want to put your team in that position,” Salei said. “It was such an important game, and I was frustrated. But today’s a new day, and hopefully I’m not going to be (putting us) in that position again.”
Liles was a healthy scratch for the second straight game.
Loose pucks.
For the fifth time this season and third time this month, rookie winger Ryan Stoa was recalled from Lake Erie by the Avs, though he did not play against the Kings. . . . Center Stephane Yelle (bruised leg) did not skate Wednesday. He has missed the last four games, but remains listed as day to day. . . . Rookie Brandon Yip (shoulder) practiced Wednesday and may be nearing a return. He has missed a little more than three weeks, and was originally forecast to miss four to six. . . . Peter Mueller’s first-period assist gave him points in nine of his first 11 games for Colorado.
Adrian Dater, The Denver Post
