Football
Associated Press 18y

Konowalchuk returns from broken wrist

DENVER -- Not that long ago, it looked like Steve
Konowalchuk's season was over.

Left Wing
Colorado Avalanche

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2006 SEASON STATISTICS
GMGAPTS+/-PIM
216915514


Then the Colorado Avalanche extended their season by sneaking
into the playoffs and upsetting Dallas in the first round. Now
Konowalchuk is back, too.
The 33-year-old forward -- sidelined since November with a broken
right wrist -- returned to practice Wednesday. He was cleared to
play in the Western Conference semifinal against Anaheim, who beat
Calgary 3-0 Wednesday night to clinch that series. The first game
is Friday night in California.
"It feels like my first game -- probably times 10 because we're
in the second round of the playoffs," Konowalchuk said after
skating at the team's workout facility in suburban Denver. "The
wrist felt great. I'm ready to go."
The team's medical staff gave Konowalchuk the OK to return to
the ice Tuesday, when his teammates got back from their 48-hour
break after their quick elimination of the second-seeded Stars.
"Originally I was told the whole season," he said. "At best
we would had to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals to get a chance.
But with the training staff and the doctors and seeing the progress
I made, I think they lightened up a little bit on their original
plan. And here I am."
Konowalchuk's quicker-than-anticipated recovery and unexpected
return provided an immense psychological boost for the Avs, who
lost leading scorer Marek Svatos to a broken right shoulder last
month.
Captain Joe Sakic compared it to picking up a top free agent out
of the blue.
"He's so valuable not only on the ice but in the dressing
room," Sakic said. "The way he plays, he plays hard, he's in
front of the net creating havoc. It's huge for us to get him back
at this time."
The Avalanche missed Konowalchuk's hard-nosed style for the
final 61 games of the regular season and the first round of the
playoffs.
"He brings a ton of grit. He plays a simple game, a hard game,
one that is hard to play against. And that's what we need,"
defenseman Rob Blake said.
Konowalchuk was off to the best start of his 14-year NHL career
with 15 points through 21 games when he got hurt Nov. 21. Doctors
initially said the only way he'd be back before next season was if
the Avalanche reached the Stanley Cup finals.
"We're very lucky that he's ahead of schedule and will be able
to help us out," Sakic said after the workout, which coach Joel
Quenneville missed to attend a funeral.
Konowalchuk's teammates had no idea that he was ready to return
until they arrived at the practice facility Wednesday morning and
saw him on the ice.
"That guy's just a machine," forward Ian Laperriere said.
"All year, when he hurt himself he was right in the gym when he
could, he was right on the ice when he could and he worked hard."
Watching Konowalchuk attack his rehab with the same ferocity he
does the puck, nobody really should have been surprised by his
early return, Laperriere said.
"He skated by himself for one, two hours, pushing himself,"
Laperriere said. "We all thought he was crazy, but he knew down
deep that he had a chance to come back."
Konowalchuk said he was motivated during rehab by focusing on a
possible playoff run.
"It wasn't really realistic as far as I was told," Konowalchuk
said. "I had to have something to work for all year. There were a
lot of hours skating by myself. [I] had to have something besides
sitting on the couch and getting out of shape."

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