Coming off one of their worst losses of the season, the Colorado Avalanche cannot catch a break.

Just when things were looking up health-wise for the Avs today we get news that Nathan MacKinnon will miss extended time with a lower-body injury. Head coach Jared Bednar says it could be 2-3 weeks, "give or take" before we see the Colorado star back in the lineup.

MacKinnon didn't miss a shift in the game and played over 20 minutes. Whatever is bugging his didn't flare up until after the game. MacKinnon has 10 points (1g 9a) in eight games this season and his presence will undoubtedly be missed.

Prior to last Saturday's 4-2 loss to Columbus, the Avs welcomed back three keys parts of the roster. Mikko Rantanen, Andre Burakovsky, and defenseman Devon Toews all returned from the IR.

Rantanen missed three games with a lower-body injury, Burakovsky was back in the lineup after sitting out one game with a lower-body boo boo and and Toews played in his first game of the season. He's been sidelined while recovering from off-season shoulder surgery.

The return of players of that caliber was supposed to help give the team a boost. Instead, the Avs blew another third period lead and fell to 4-5-1 and sixth place in the Central Division.

All is not lost of course because more firepower is slated to make its way back into the lineup on Thursday against Vancouver. Cale Makar (upper-body injury) and Valeri Nichushkin (upper-body injury) are expected to be ready for the game. This is the closest the team has been to a full-strength all season which makes the loss of MacKinnon even more frustrating.

Vancouver is 5-6-2 and currently sit seventh in the Pacific. The Avs desperately need a good performance or at least to finish unscathed in order to start feeling better about themselves - at least for a little bit.

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One last thing....

- If the rumors are true, Jack Eichel expected to be traded to Colorado. That didn't happen but boy wouldn't that have been wild?

- Alex Newhook was recalled from the Eagles and will be in the lineup on Thursday. Can he have a better go this time around?

Thanks for reading,
Steve

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