Bourque back, in command in Game 3
Associated Press
DENVER -- There's still a lot of life left in Ray Bourque's 39-year-old legs.
|  | | With 35 minutes, 35 seconds of ice time, Ray Bourque played more than anyone else Friday. |
Bourque, who missed four playoff games with a knee injury, made
a triumphant return to the Colorado lineup Friday night, playing a game-high 35 minutes, 35 seconds in the Avalanche's 2-0 victory over the Dallas Stars.
"I felt awesome," Bourque said. "As the game went on, I just felt very comfortable. It was nice to get into a game and know that I'm over the hump and I'm fine. ... If there was any doubt, I think everybody realizes that I'm all set to go."
Playing for the first time since injuring his left knee on May
1, the defenseman's night started innocently enough, with his first
shift lasting less than 20 seconds.
Bourque would get plenty more opportunities, logging much of his
ice time on special teams as Colorado killed three Dallas penalties
and went 1-for-10 on the power play.
"If he wasn't ready to play that ice time and play the way Ray
Bourque can, then I don't think they would have dressed him,"
Colorado forward Dave Reid said. "In that respect, it wasn't a surprise he played so much because even he was saying, if he was
going to play, he was going to play the way he always plays."
Bourque and Aaron Miller also did an admirable job stifling Dallas' top line, limiting Mike Modano, Brett Hull and Jere
Lehtinen to a combined five shots.
The defensive performance came with Adam Foote -- Bourque's usual
partner -- watching from the stands with an eye injury sustained in
the early minutes of Game 2.
"He gave them a big lift," Modano said of Bourque. "It fills
a big hole that Foote's left. The other guys played great games. In
time of desperation and times of pressure, they were performers."
With his teammates, fans and coach anxious to see how Bourque's
knee would hold up, he was able to avoid collisions and jarring
hits as Colorado took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
When told how many minutes Bourque played, 23-year-old teammate Chris Drury was impressed.
"That's pretty amazing with his age and obviously his injury,
especially in this altitude. I mean, I was feeling it in the first
period," Drury said. "It's a credit to him and how hard he
works."
Bourque, seeking his first Stanley Cup title in 21 seasons,
injured his knee in Game 3 of the conference semifinals and
benefited from a schedule that has included just two games in 14
days.
His return came just in time for the Avalanche, who lost Foote
to an eye injury 2:42 into their Game 2 loss in Dallas. Foote said
his vision is fine, but he does not know when or if he will return
for the playoffs.
Foote and Bourque formed Colorado's most effective defensive
tandem while playing against Phoenix's top line in the first round
and Detroit in the second round.
Avalanche coach Bob Hartley teamed Bourque with Miller, who has
not missed a game in the postseason despite breaking his jaw in the
regular-season finale against Detroit.
"I just tried to play my game," Miller said. "I'm not going
to try to put (Foote's) No. 52 on my jersey. He's a great player. I
just tried to pick up the slack, but it takes 20 guys to cover for
an Adam Foote." |
