The back problems Joe Sakic thought were just temporary reappeared Saturday night.
The Avalanche captain had to leave after one period against Nashville after complaining of more back stiffness.
Sakic missed Thursday’s game against Minnesota with the injury but pronounced himself fit to play against the Predators. He did not appear to suffer any big hit in the period, and the exact nature of his injury has not been disclosed. Sakic will be evaluated further today.
Defensive changes.
The Avs mixed up their usual defensive pairings. Scott Hannan played alongside Adam Foote, and John-Michael Liles played with Brett Clark. Previously, Hannan and Liles had been a consistent pair, as were Foote and Clark.
Arnason benched.
Center Tyler Arnason was a healthy scratch by the Avs for the first time in his two-plus seasons with Colorado.
Arnason has struggled with two points (both goals) in 13 games, with a minus-2.
Footnotes.
Martin Erat, Nashville’s second-leading scorer, missed the game with an “upper body injury.” . . . The game marked the 500th regular-season home contest in Avs history. . . . Faceoffs — a troublesome area for the Avs the last couple of years — have improved. Colorado entered the game ranked third in the NHL at 53.4 percent, behind San Jose and Detroit. . . . Marek Svatos and Ian Laperriere hit posts with shots in the game. Laperriere missed an open net but was shooting at a tough angle.
Adrian Dater, The Denver Post
