The Avalanche played against the Stanley Cup champions Monday night without its top two right wings.
Milan Hejduk sat out, following what the team called a “nose procedure” after being hit in the face Saturday in Los Angeles. He is expected to play Wednesday against St. Louis.
Marek Svatos missed the game because of an unspecified illness, probably the flu.
Hejduk and Svatos are in the midst of slumps; Hejduk has gone the past four games without a point, and Svatos the past three.
They weren’t alone. Entering Monday’s game, Brad Richardson had gone seven straight games without a point, Paul Stastny four straight, Wojtek Wolski five straight without a goal and Andrew Brunette 15 straight without a goal.
Another Stastny
There is another Stastny in the NHL. Paul Stastny’s brother, Yan, a center, was recalled Monday by the Boston Bruins from Providence of the American Hockey League. The Avalanche plays the Bruins on March 6 in Boston.
Footnotes
Carolina captain Rod Brind’Amour missed the game with a groin injury. Carolina veteran Cory Stillman played his first game of the season, after shoulder surgery. …
Wolski played on the first line with Joe Sakic and Brunette. Veteran Pierre Turgeon played on a second line with Stastny and Mark Rycroft. …
The Hurricanes are the latest NHL team to have a begrudging injury information policy with the media. The ‘Canes refer to injuries now only as to the “upper” or “lower” body. …
The Avs entered the game 0-9-1 when trailing after two periods, and 10-2-1 with a lead after two.
