It is with a heavier sense of responsibility that Milan Hej- duk feels for the Avalanche’s latest losing ways. Not that he ever took them well before, but being the team captain has imbued a deeper feeling of answerability following losses.
It was a grim-faced Hejduk who answered questions following the Avs’ latest setback, 3-0 at home to Vancouver on Wednesday night.
“It’s very difficult to win hockey games when you’re not scoring goals,” said Hej- duk, named the Avs’ third team captain last week. “It just puts too much pressure on the goalies. We have to find a way. But it’s very frustrating right now. We’re in a slump.”
Many fans are pointing the fingers at coach Joe Sacco. Players publicly criticizing a coach is exceedingly rare, but Hejduk answered quickly and decisively when asked if Avs players aren’t being coached well enough.
“No, there are definitely no problems there. It was a bad game, though. We’re squeezing the sticks right now. We’re all in the same boat — coaches, players, everybody,” Hej- duk said. “We all want to do well. But we’re just not doing it right now, and it’s frustrating, it definitely is.”
Sacco, in the third year of a three-year contract, has tried just about every line combination possible to get his team going offensively, especially on home ice. But through the first 11 games at the Pepsi Center, the Avs have yet to score more than three goals and have been shut out twice.
“I’ll continue to tweak things to try and find the right (combinations), but after a while you can only change so much,” Sacco said. “Sooner or later, you have to go out and you have to do it.”
Johnson out.
Defenseman Erik Johnson is sidelined with a groin injury, and his status for Saturday’s game with Edmonton is uncertain.
Johnson did not play Wednesday. He tried to skate Wednesday morning, but left the ice after about 15 minutes.
Matt Hunwick, who had played in only one previous game, took Johnson’s spot in the lineup against Vancouver and was singled out by Sacco as one of the few players who played well.
Sacco also praised goalie Semyon Varlamov, who stopped 26-of-28 shots and was hung out to dry on one of the two Canucks goals.
“It was good to see him bounce back. He gave us a chance to win,” Sacco said.
Adrian Dater: 303-954-1360 or adater@denverpost.com
