Avs scratch healthy Selanne for playoff game

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Colorado right wing Teemu Selanne was a healthy scratch in Game 2 of the Avalanche's second-round playoff series against San Jose on Saturday.

Left wing Alex Tanguay, Colorado's second-leading scorer, was back in the lineup after missing two games with a knee injury. So coach Tony Granato benched Selanne, a nine-time All-Star and a former 76-goal scorer who had a terrible regular season.

Selanne left the Sharks last summer to sign with Colorado, hoping to win his first championship while reuniting with former Anaheim teammate Paul Kariya. But Selanne, who has 452 goals in his career, managed just 16 goals and 16 assists in 78 games -- the worst totals of his 12 NHL seasons.

Selanne was relegated to Colorado's fourth line late in the regular season, and he had no goals and two assists in the Avalanche's first six playoff games. Granato deactivated Selanne instead of rookie wing Marek Svatos, tough guy Matthew Barnaby and veteran center Darby Hendrickson.

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