NASHVILLE, tenn. — Back spasms forced Avalanche captain Gabe Landeskog to miss his second consecutive game Saturday. Landeskog probably will return to the lineup Sunday against the Blues in St. Louis.
“I think there’s a good chance he’ll play (Sunday),” coach Patrick Roy said.
Landeskog, 23, was among a handful of Avalanche players to skate at the Predators’ practice facility Saturday morning.
Mikhail Grigorenko again replaced Landeskog at left wing on the Nathan MacKinnon- centered line. Defenseman Zach Redmond was Colorado’s only healthy scratch.
Varly update. Semyon Varla- mov started in goal for the Avalanche at Nashville — his 226th career start for Colorado, now third-most all time behind Roy (478) and Peter Budaj (242) — and he might also play Sunday against the Blues.
“It’s all going to depend on how many shots and how much work Varly is going to have (Saturday night),” Roy said before the game. “If he’s not that busy and playing a good game, I might use him (at St. Louis). We’ll talk after the game.”
Versatile venue. Bridgestone Arena hosted its first basketball-hockey doubleheader Saturday, with Middle Tennessee State playing Auburn at noon and the Avs-Preds game at 7.
The Avs gathered for meetings and off-ice workouts as the basketball game was beginning.
“We don’t like not having the option to skate in the morning,” Roy said. “But it is what it is.”
Footnote. When the Avs wrap up their three-game trip Tuesday at Chicago, they will have been on the road for 27 of the previous 37 games. And they’re on the end of another stretch that has them playing 18-of-25 games outside Denver.
