Peter the Great: Forsberg shows glimpse of skills

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Mar 5, 2008 | by DAVID RAMSEY

DENVER - This could work.

Peter Forsberg skated with ease and shot with the accuracy and velocity of the old days.

When No. 21 skated on the ice, a near-capacity Pepsi Center crowd welcomed him back with thunderous cheers and dozens of signs.

He departed in 2005, a harsh announcement of the realities of the NHL's salarycap era. He returned to an ocean of noise and hope and adoration.

"Foppa For Prez 2008," one fan waved during the frenzy of love.

Well, let's not get too carried away. Forsberg, of Sweden, is prohibited by law from leading our nation.

But he might rescue a hockey team.

The Avalanche defeated the Vancouver Canucks 2-1 on Tuesday at Pepsi Center. It was the team's fourth-straight win since signing Forsberg.

Ian LaPerriere has played 14 NHL seasons, but he sounded like a star-struck child after the game. A few feet away, two dozen reporters surrounded Forsberg.

LaPerriere laughed at the scene.

"He's sitting in a stall next to me," LaPerriere said. "He's so fun to watch. We're all going to be winners if he plays like he did tonight."

Forsberg found the ideal word to describe his Colorado homecoming.

"Great," he said, over and over.

He sat, his gray undershirt soaked with sweat, his face illuminated by TV cameras. He almost didn't try this comeback. He wasn't sure his gimpy right foot could stand the stress.

Yet his risky return had started with surprising ease.

"It was a thrill for me to put on the jersey," Forsberg said. "It's a thrill to be back in Denver, I have to say. I smile every morning when I get up. The sun's up. It's great.

"We're going to get it going here. Hockey-wise and everything will be great."

The Avalanche, all of a sudden, is on a roll. Goaltender Jose Theodore, often erratic, served as a human wall in front of the net. After the game, Theodore wanted to talk about Forsberg.

"It's great for him to be with me instead of against me," Theodore said, thinking back to his battles as a Montreal Canadiens goaltender against Forsberg. "If I can stop him in practice, I can stop anybody."

A few seconds after Forsberg's declaration of everything that was great in his world, his smile faded and he spoke softly. He doesn't want expectations to soar out-ofcontrol.

"It's going to be a struggle and I hope people understand that," Forsberg said. "It's been a long time since I played."

Forsberg has a rich legacy. He's won two Stanley Cups, an MVP trophy and played in seven All-Star Games. He's scored 871 points. He's earned the title of "Peter the Great."

Yet he declines to make big promises, stressing that this return to Colorado is a test to see if he can still play quality hockey.

He couldn't stay away from his game. He couldn't resist the lure of trying to travel back to the best days of his career.

Tuesday was, after all, only one night.

But Forsberg was right.

It was a "great" start.

CONTACT THE WRITER: 476-4895 or david.ramsey@gazette.com. Check out David's blog, David Ramsey Says What?

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