Whenever he returns to Denver, goaltender Peter Budaj thinks of his former Avalanche teammate and fellow Slovak, Marek Svatos. Even more than usual.

“I always do,” Budaj said after he had 24 saves to help the Los Angeles Kings beat the Avalanche 2-1 Tuesday at the Pepsi Center. “I remember when we were together and we were on the ice in the same starting lineup when they announced it for the Avalanche. I’ll always remember those times. It still hurts and it will hurt for a while.

“He was a great person. I loved Marek. I knew him for a very long time. He was the best friend I had. We went through a lot together with national teams in Slovakia when we were young and we played against each other. We were roommates at Hershey (AHL) when we played together my first three years. He was just like my second brother.”

Svatos, a retired winger who played for the Avalanche from 2003-2010, died in Lone Tree at age 34 on Nov. 5. A month later, the Douglas County Coroner’s office said Svatos died from “combined drug intoxication.” He was survived by his wife, Diana, and two young sons.

Budaj said he hasn’t tried to find out more about what led to Svatos’ death.

“It was tough to swallow, definitely a little bit of shock,” Budaj said. “I’ve tried to let him rest in peace. If you keep digging, it’s their family business. I respect their family. I want to stay in touch with them, and if they need any help, I try to be there for them. It’s sad for Marek, but it’s going to be even more sad for his family and his kids and loved ones. It’s going to be a very difficult time and I just want to be there for them if they need anything.” Related Articles February 20, 2017 Nikita Zadorov out for the season after fracturing ankle in Avalanche practice

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Svatos scored 96 goals in an injury-plagued stay with the Avalanche, with a high-water mark of 32 goals in 61 games in 2005-06. After leaving Colorado, he played briefly for Nashville and Ottawa in 2010-11. After that, he skated for two teams in the Kontinental Hockey League and finished his professional career with his hometown team, Kosice, in the Slovak pro league in 2013-14.

In the Avalanche organization, he and Budaj first were teammates in 2002-03 at Hershey.

Against the Avalanche Tuesday, Budaj allowed only Mikko Rantanen‘s goal at 32 seconds of the second period. Rantanen stole the puck from standout Los Angeles defenseman Drew Doughty, the Norris Trophy winner last season, at the blue line, skated in and beat Budaj for the Finnish rookie’s 14th goal of the season.

But from there, the Kings got goals from Tyler Toffoli and Trevor Lewis later in the second period and that was all the scoring for the night. It all added to Budaj’s comeback story.

For most of the past two seasons, Budaj toiled in the AHL and seemed destined to finish his career in the minors, or perhaps in Europe. That came after a six-season stay with Colorado, mostly as a backup, and then three seasons as Carey Price’s relief at Montreal.

Los Angeles’ top goalie, Jonathan Quick, has missed the entire season with a groin muscle issue, but is practicing and is projected for a March return. In the meantime, Budaj continues to be an ironman, and the Tuesday start was his 52nd appearance of the season, second in the league to Edmonton’s Cam Talbot.

And to think this was a guy tending the net for the Ontario Reign last season — and the Ontario was in Calfornia, not Canada.

Colorado fell to 16-39-3, and its 35 points is the worst total in the league by 14 points. The Avalanche next faces the Predators Thursday at Nashville.

BOXSCORE: Kings 2, Avalanche 1