Avalanche winger Milan Hejduk missed his first game of the season Sunday with a back injury. His absence was a surprise, given that he practiced Saturday and participated in Sunday’s pregame skate.
Hejduk, who on Friday played in his 800th career game, entered Sunday tied as Colorado’s second-leading scorer with 14 points (seven goals). He was replaced by T.J. Hensick, who played for just the fifth time this season and scored a power-play goal.
Coach Joe Sacco said he doesn’t know how or when Hejduk was injured, or when he is expected back.
“He took warm-up but wasn’t able to play,” Sacco said.
Also scratched were Avs defensemen John-Michael Liles (shoulder) and Tom Preissing (knee).
Forsberg update.
Former Avs star Peter Forsberg said how he played in the recent Kartelo Cup in Hel- sinki would determine if he would attempt to return to the NHL or play in the Vancouver Olympics.
But after going pointless in three games in the Karjala Cup — a four-team tournament featuring Sweden, Finland, Russia and the Czech Republic — Forsberg remained mum about his plans. He had surgery on his chronically injured right ankle and foot this year.
“It was worse than I thought,” Forsberg told the Swedish newspaper Sydsvenskan. “I have not made up my mind. We may give it a few days now. We’ll see what it is, how it is and if it is.”
Footnote.
Oilers defenseman Taylor Chorney and Avalanche blue-liner Scott Hannan had pucks deflect off their face. Both returned after receiving treatment.
Mike Chambers, The Denver Post
