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Cooke won’t ‘sit here and worry’ about facing Avs

Tyson Barrie

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie, right, leaves the ice after getting injured on a hit by Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Cooke during the second period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey first-round playoff series in St. Paul, Minn., Monday, April 21, 2014. The Wild won 1-0 in overtime. (AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt)

AP

Matt Cooke doesn’t know what to expect, but he’s “been in this situation before.”

Tyson Barrie would prefer to get his revenge on the scoreboard.

At least, that’s what the two players are saying publicly ahead of tomorrow’s game (on NBCSN) between the Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche -- a contest that will see Cooke face the Avs for the first time since injuring Barrie in a knee-on-knee collision during the first round of the playoffs.

Cooke was suspended seven games for the hit. But Barrie’s playoffs were over, the young defenseman’s MCL sprain a contributing factor in the Avs’ demise at the hands of the Wild.

In the old days, Cooke would be a marked man, expected to answer the bell for his sins. And you never know, he might still be tomorrow.

“I’ve been in this situation before. It’s nothing new,” said the Wild winger, per the StarTribune. “I’ve got to go out and play hard. That’s what I’ll do. I can’t really predict situations. I choose not to sit here and worry about it either.”

Meanwhile, Barrie told the Denver Post: “What happened last year was, you can’t forget about it completely. But I’m maybe 5-10, 195 pounds, so I’m not going to go out there and cause too much trouble. But the way I’d like to get back at them is to beat them, beat them good, at home, and then come back here (on Saturday) and beat them again and kind of set the tone for our year. That’s all we can really do.”

Unless, that is, they choose to do something else.

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