VANCOUVER, British Columbia — After sitting out most of the final two periods of Saturday’s loss to Los Angeles because a puck struck him in the back of the head, Avs defenseman Scott Hannan was in the lineup Tuesday night against the Canucks.
With Hannan able to play, David Liffiton again was the healthy scratch among the defensemen. If and when Adam Foote (concussion) comes back, the issue of whether to suit up seven defensemen, as Avalanche coach Joe Sacco did twice recently, or the conventional number of six, could become more pressing again.
“Obviously with Adam Foote not being here in the lineup, it makes my decision a little bit easier,” Sacco said after the morning skate. “I haven’t given up on the idea of (suiting up) seven, but I prefer six ‘D.’ “
First captain honored.
The Canucks are beginning a Ring of Honour (the Canadian spelling), and before their game against the Avalanche, they honored Orland Kurtenbach, the 1970-71 expansion franchise’s original captain and one-time head coach.
Say “Uncle.”
Avalanche center Matt Duchene let his mother Christine’s brother, Newell Brown, pick up the check at dinner in Vancouver on Monday. Brown is a veteran NHL assistant coach in his first season with the Canucks. They went against each other four times in Duchene’s rookie season, when Brown was with Anaheim. They’ll see each other for six games this season.
“I just joke around with my sister about keeping him out late, distracting him a little,” Brown said. “If he has one bad game a year, maybe it’s against us. But last night, I had him tucked in early, unfortunately.”
Terry Frei, The Denver Post
