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Thursday, April 26
Bourque skates, says he's ready
ESPN.com news services

Ray Bourque
Bourque

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Colorado defenseman Ray Bourque was set to return to the Avalanche lineup in tonight's third game of the Western Conference quarterfinals against Vancouver.

Bourque, who sat out the first two games of the series with low-back pain, declared himself fit to play after a game-day skate.

The Avalanche lead the best-of-seven series 2-0.

"It's always frustrating whenever you can't get dressed and go out and be a part if it, but we're in this for the long haul so you have to be smart and that's what I did for the first couple of games," Bourque said.

It will be Bourque's first game since injuring his back early in the first period of Colorado's regular-season finale with Minnesota. It will also be the first time – other than 1:20 of that season finale – that Colorado has had the All-Star defensive trio of Bourque, Adam Foote and Rob Blake in the lineup at the same time.

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