NUMBERS GAME

29:04 of ice time for Avalanche defenseman Kurt Sauer, a season high and the most by any player Wednesday.

DRURY PRAISES HIS FORMER TEAM

Sabres co-captain Chris Drury, who missed the four previous games with a concussion, received a nice welcome from the crowd when he made his first appearance on the ice.

The former Avalanche forward, who remains as popular as ever in Colorado, had three shots on goal and was a minus-1 while logging 18:36 of ice time. He won 13 of 16 faceoffs.

"It seems like of all the teams we've played, they play the most like us as far as skating," Drury said of the Avalanche. "Every chance, it seemed their 'D' were jumping into the play. They're really aggressive.

"They played with a lot of heart. You can tell they wanted it pretty bad."

Drury, who was blindsided by Ottawa's Chris Neil in a Feb. 22 game, said he feels fine but his right eye is still bloodshot from the hit.

SKRASTINS, SVATOS SIT

Avalanche defenseman Karlis Skrastins and forward Marek Svatos were scratched again, Skrastins for the sixth game in a row as he recovers from a sprained knee, and Svatos for the fourth successive game with a groin injury.

Skrastins said he skated a couple of times this week but hasn't done any "starts and stops" and doesn't feel ready to play just yet.

"I might skate (today) and see how it feels, but I have to be 100 percent," he said. "I don't want to hurt the team."

HE SAID IT

"We're still in the hunt, I guess."

Milan Hejduk, right wing, on the Avalanche's playoff chances.