Needing a miracle, Avalanche get Duchene back

The Colorado Avalanche need help to make the playoffs, and this is a start.

Matt Duchene will be back in the lineup Friday against the Washington Capitals, head coach Patrick Roy confirmed.

"He's ready to go," Roy said.

Duchene hasn't played since March 16 due to a knee injury, and he was hot when he went down. He was riding a four-game point streak (two goals, four assists) and had points in six of seven games in March.

The Avalanche went 3-3 without him, and sit five points back of the Minnesota Wild for the second wild-card spot in the West with five games to play (and one game in hand). The schedule isn't easy, though: Washington, St. Louis, Nashville, Dallas, and Anaheim.

Duchene has 29 goals and 27 assists.

There's no update on Nathan MacKinnon, who hasn't played since March 18, so it's assumed he's out Friday, and likely Sunday.