Erik Johnson (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)”
Somewhat surprisingly, because the Avalanche hadn’t practiced Friday, Patrick Roy said after the 5-3 win over Buffalo Saturday night that he had decided to give his team Sunday off.
So the Avs’ next time on the ice will be the Monday morning skate in advance of the game that night against Edmonton.
Roy noted that the Avalanche had played four games in six nights and had appeared to hit a wall in giving up three goals to the lowly Sabres in the third period. “It’s good for us to have a rest and a good morning skate on Monday and be ready for the Oilers,” he said.
As noted in the Avs Briefs written before the game, Roy had said after the Saturday morning skate that Erik Johnson was getting close to being able to return to the lineup. After the game, he said he had talked to trainer Matt Sokolowski and offered an update. Roy said Sokolowski told him there was a possibility Johnson might return against Edmonton, but that it was more likely to happen at some point during the trip for games at San Jose Wednesday, Anaheim Friday and Los Angeles Saturday.
This was on the bottom of the later version of the game story, refiled after the visit to the locker room and after Roy’s session with the media, but Roy wouldn’t go into details about the injury that prevented winger Dennis Everberg from playing in the third period. He would only say the Avalanche would know more Sunday. Another issue there is that the Avalanche have no extra available bodies around, so if Everberg can’t go against Edmonton, the Avalanche would need to recall a forward from Lake Erie.
Also, while Daniel Briere was at the game, he was wearing a huge medical boot over his left foot, evidence of taking a shot on the foot at Calgary Wednesday. If it turns out that he’s done for the season, raising the possibility that it was the final game of his career, that’s an unfortunate way to go out.
Terry Frei: tfrei@denverpost.com or twitter.com/TFrei
