Turns out Tyson Jost didn’t escape that scary collision into the boards unscathed after all. The Avalanche forward will not play Friday night against the Anaheim Ducks with a hyperextended left knee, along with a bone bruise. He won’t play Saturday night in Dallas, either.
The better news, though: Jost should be back on the practice ice Monday, and could be back in the lineup Tuesday in Nashville.
I saw Jost walking around the dressing room this morning, and he wasn’t hobbling or anything. Jared Bednar believes Jost was “fortunate” not to have been hurt worse. So, Matt Nieto is in the lineup in Jost’s place.
Here are the lines and defensive pairs for the game against the Ducks:
Andrighetto-MacKinnon-Rantanen
Kerfoot-Duchene-Yakupov
Landeskog-Wilson-Compher
Nieto-Soderberg-Comeau
Zadorov-Johnson
Nemeth-Barrie
Barberio-Bigras
Jonathan Bernier will get the start in goal against the team he played for last season.
I talked some with Nieto this morning, and he admitted he didn’t play well in the season-opener against the Rangers. He took three minor penalties in the game and has been scratched since. Nieto did grumble some about one or two of the calls against him, but otherwise knows he has to be better.
Bednar, too, said so. Bednar said he didn’t think Nieto looked great in the preseason either, that he wasn’t using his speed well enough. So, this is a big night for Nieto. If he doesn’t take the opportunity to play well while Jost is out, he could be facing a very inactive season.
0 Comments (4 conversations)
Cerveau
Strange how things evolve.
I remember we were pretty happy with Nieto when we first got him.
At the time he was stellar compared to most of our team. That says more about our team than him as a player.It goes to show we have SOME depth (a miracle!)
Av-a-dabba-doo
I’m hoping for a nice bounce-back showing from Nieto tonight. Ironic how his getting the nod over Soderberg in the opener seemed to spur Carl on to much-improved play. Now we need to hope that in turn the performance of Nieto’s replacement has the same effect back on him. And to tie it up with a bow, they’re skating next to each other on the same line.
C’mon, Matt. We’re pulling for you. I’ve seen you fly like the wind.
deej19
meh… I would have liked to given Soda an atta boy for the recent play and stick him on center w Landy and Comphs. maybe that line would really click and Soderberg can get some points and be a trade asset. seems keeping him on the 4th line goes against Bednars “earn your minutes” mantra and the whole rewarding guys thing that he’s really adhered to this season. but you did trade for Wilson so maybe give him a different look as well. but geez, how atrocious has Wilson looked on that PP?
Soda definitely has made Bednar happier of late
dudleyconrad
wilson looked *a little* better to me on wednesday. i hope he’s finding his legs.
i still think bednar has it out for soderberg because he really is our third-best center right now.
Nels
NUUUU-UHHHH. Compher is better than Sodo.
dudleyconrad
not as a center he’s not. not at the moment.
Nels
I think we’re going to learn alot about the hockey god’s current feelings towards the Avs tonight against the Ducks. If they light Beauchamin (I hope I misspelled that) up, it will be apparent that the hockey gods have begun to hear our cries for justice.
Nels
Ok, well then, I bet JT could beat up Sodo…
deej19
hey Dater. do you think Zadorov crumbles one of the Ducks players tonite? he seems to have this knack for going duck hunting when these teams play. he took out Perry w a monster hit last year. and I think he may have tagged Silfverberg too? I just hope they stick Z and EJ together cause this carousel of D partners w Johnson and giving him Ryan Suter minutes cannot last all season. I know EJ likes horses and horse racing, but you cant treat him like a thoroughbred :p