Colorado Returns to Practice After Long Break

CENTENNIAL, Colo.--The Colorado Avalanche has returned from its eight-day break eager to get back to work.
The team was off for the NHL All-Star Break and its league-mandated bye week and will return to game action on Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks at Pepsi Center.

"It was really good, I think it was good to step away from the game for a few days," said head coach Jared Bednar. "Review some of the good and some of the bad that has been going on with our team and search for some solutions to try to get back on track here. I think it was a good time to reflect and also a good time to sort of decompress and get away from the game for a little bit.
"Hopefully it was the same for all of our players. Guys seemed like they had a good time and a good break, and they are back focused. We had a bunch of guys skate yesterday and full team today, and I liked our practice. I think it was a good break, came at a really good time for us."
The Avalanche has 52 points with a 22-2-8 mark this season and sits in the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
Its opponent on Saturday, the Canucks, also has 52 points in the race for the playoffs but has played one extra game. The outing will mark the fourth of a season-long, five-game homestand for the Avs, who are 1-2-0 through the first three contests.
"All things considering, we are in a decent spot, not as good as where we should have been from our start, but we are in a playoff position and we control our own destiny," said Nathan MacKinnon. "We play all the teams we need to beat lots, so it is going to be a big challenge but we are excited."

INJURY UPDATES

After missing the final two games before the NHL All-Star Break and Colorado's bye week with a head injury, defenseman Erik Johnson was a full participant at practice.
"It was good, I had been ready to get back for a while," Johnson said of the session. "Tough sitting out those two division games before the break, but ready to go now, feel good. Here for the final push this season to get in the playoffs."
He was one of seven blueliners on the ice as fellow rear guard Mark Barberio was on the ice for the session as a non-contact participant. Barberio has skated in 12 games this season and has battled a head injury of his own since his last outing on Jan. 21 against the Nashville Predators.
The Avalanche also had 12 forwards on the ice after recalling Sheldon Dries from the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League on Thursday.

PRACTICE LINE COMBINATIONS

Colin Wilson - Nathan MacKinnon - Alex Kerfoot
Gabriel Landeskog - Carl Soderberg - Mikko Rantanen
Matt Calvert - J.T. Compher - Matt Nieto
Sven Andrighetto - Sheldon Dries - Gabriel Bourque
Samuel Girard - Erik Johnson
Ian Cole - Tyson Barrie
Nikita Zadorov - Patrik Nemeth
\Mark Barberio
Semyon Varlamov
Philipp Grubauer
\(non-contact)

QUOTABLES

Head Coach Jared Bednar on mixing up his lines:"We all know that our top line has been together for most of the year. They have been doing a really nice job. They continue to click along, but the team hasn't had a lot of success here recently so we are trying something new."

Defenseman Erik Johnson on the break:"I think everyone can use the break to their advantage. Rest any injuries, or just take some extra rest for yourself, and just get away from the game a little bit mentally is always good. I think guys were energized. We had an optional skate yesterday that I think we had probably 18 of the 22 guys, so we had a good group yesterday, good group today and we are excited to get back going."

Center Nathan MacKinnon on missing the All-Star Game with a foot injury: "It was just a bruise, I could have forced it if it was a game, but it was the All-Star Weekend. I just took it easy, and I wanted to be ready for Vancouver."