AVALANCHE: Blast from the past has eyes on future

Former Colorado College star Marty Sertich won the last time he played at Cadet Ice Arena - nearly four years ago.

And what a journey it's been since.

Though Sertich was on the wrong end of a 9-0 loss Monday in the Colorado Avalanche's intrasquad game, he was still happy to be back in Colorado Springs, fighting for a chance to make the NHL team.

"It's something else really," Sertich said. "I never thought when I was playing at Colorado College that I'd have the opportunity to do this, so it's pretty special."

A former Hobey Baker Award winner like Sertich, defenseman Jordan Leopold paced the White over the Burgundy with two goals and two assists. Leopold captured the honor in 2002 as a senior at Minnesota, while Sertich won it in 2005 after leading the nation in scoring and carrying CC to the Frozen Four.

In his third professional season after posting 61 goals and 121 assists in a four-year career at CC, Sertich hopes to stick around the Avalanche as long as possible after a whirlwind week at training camp, which ends today.

"I'm just taking it one day at a time, really," said Sertich, who will turn 26 next month.

"I'm just trying to play well (today) and see what happens. I'm still one of the younger guys around. I'm just taking it all in and having fun."

Sertich, who had a first-period shot and played on the penalty kill, said he continues to work on getting the most out of his 5-foot-9, 165-pound frame.

"Every level you go up, everyone is so much bigger and stronger than me," he said.

"They're trying to keep the clutching and grabbing out of the game, which I think helps the smaller guys. You've got to find ways to make up for lack of strength and size and it's nothing new for me."

Sertich was acquired from the Dallas Stars in June in exchange for a conditional selection in the 2009 NHL entry draft. He has yet to play an NHL game.

"He's going to be a good pro and we're happy to have him in our organization," coach Tony Granato said. "We expect him to be a solid player in our organization and hopefully someday he'll be on our hockey team."

Notes

Center Paul Stastny (right shoulder bruise), left wing Wojtek Wolski (foot), and right wing Marek Svatos (knee) did not play. ... The Burgundy and White game also was played at Cadet Ice Arena last year.

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Contact the writer: 476-4803 or kate.crandall@gazette.com. Check out our Colorado College hockey blog at gazettecchockey.freedomblogging.com