Boughner gets to double his pleasure

Rick Sadowski, Rocky Mountain News

Published December 21, 2005 at midnight

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Bob Boughner isn't a betting man, but the Colorado Avalanche veteran felt like he nailed the daily double Tuesday night.

For only the fourth time this season, Boughner played in back-to-back games when the Avalanche took on the Nashville Predators at the Gaylord Entertainment Center.

Skating as a right wing on the fourth line again was fine with Boughner, even though he is a natural defenseman and couldn't remember the last time he was used as a forward until this year.

"If it's something that I can add to my game . . . there are guys who have been able to go back and forth between 'D' and forward, and those guys are valuable to their teams," he said.

Boughner has been a healthy scratch for all but nine of the Avalanche's first 34 games. He didn't suit up for 10 consecutive games before rejoining the lineup Sunday against the New York Rangers in a 2-1 Avalanche victory.

"I haven't been in this position since my rookie year (with Buffalo in 1995-96), but it's something I'm dealing with," he said. "As long as the team is doing well and you get in there on a fairly steady basis, it's easier to take."

Avalanche coach Joel Quenneville said he liked the energy that Boughner brought to the ice against the Rangers.

"(Boughner) did a great job up front," Quenneville said. "He was physical and he had a presence. Guys fed off of that. He showed that he wants to stay in the lineup, and he's getting rewarded because of it."

Boughner, 34, is in the final year of a contract that pays him $950,000. He wants to keep playing beyond this season and acknowledged that this is an important year for him.

"It's been difficult not playing, but I wasn't going to come to the rink every day and be miserable and go home and kill myself over it," he said. "I've had some talks with Joel and a couple talks with (general manager) Pierre (Lacroix). They know where I'm at and I know where they're at. I want to be a part of this team and this organization. That hasn't changed."

MORE OLYMPIANS: It's expected that captain Joe Sakic and defenseman Rob Blake will be named to Canada's Olympic team today, with left wing Alex Tanguay a possibility.

"I haven't heard anything," Tanguay said.

Defenseman John-Michael Liles has made the U.S. roster, and several other Avalanche players will be named to their respective countries' teams Thursday.

"I'm happy for him, proud of him," Quenneville said of Liles. "I think he deserved it. He's played well and I think he'll enhance their team game. Knowing the type of play that the Olympics is with the big ice surface (and with) the way he moves with the puck, I think he'll be a nice element on the defense."

Said Blake: "I told Johnny this is going to be one of the most exciting things he ever does. It's his second year in the league and he's going to represent the USA. He should be one of their top 'D.' "

Other Avalanche players with the chance to play in Turin, Italy: David Aebischer (Switzerland), Peter Budaj and Marek Svatos (Slovakia), Milan Hejduk (Czech Republic), Vitaly Kolesnik (Kazakhstan), Antti Laaksonen and Ossi Vaananen (Finland), and Karlis Skrastins (Latvia).

THREE'S STILL A CROWD: No one on the Avalanche is happy with the three-goalie situation, which probably won't last much past next Tuesday. That's when the NHL's holiday roster freeze ends with respect to trades, waivers and any other player assignment (other than call-ups from the minors).

"I don't want to say right at the end of (the roster freeze) is the timeline, but certainly this is a short-term situation," Quenneville said.

Kolesnik started for the sixth time in seven games Tuesday. Budaj dressed as the backup and Aebischer was scratched.

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