Avs’ Wood embraces fresh start, physicality

WINNIPEG >> The New Jersey Devils returned to the Stanley Cup Playoffs a year ago after a fiveyear absence, but Miles Wood’s personal experience was not the best.

He was a healthy scratch for four of the seven games in the first round against the New York Rangers, in part because of a couple of penalties he took that contributed to the Devils starting in an 0-2 hole. His first postseason game with the Colorado Avalanche went a little better.

Wood scored a goal, nearly had another were it not for what his coach called a “quick whistle,” and played the secondmost ice time of his career in a 60-minute playoff game when Colorado dropped a wild 7-6 decision to the Winnipeg Jets in Game 1 of their opening-round series.

“I thought he was great,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “Yep, physical, involved, hard at the net. I thought that line was really effective. They were involved right from the drop of the puck. Their details were good. They checked hard. The physicality is part of their game.

“Those guys, they’ve got a little grit and sandpaper. I thought they played their game to the best of their abilities the other night. I’d love to see them repeat that performance.”

Wood has played with his new best friend, Ross Colton, for much of the season. They joined the franchise this offseason and have been “inseparable,” according to Bednar. Colton is a New Jersey native who grew up a Devils fan, so that’s where the connection began.

They’ve been carpool mates and linemates. The Avalanche