Jonathan Bernier hurt again

If there is one thing we can always, unfortunately, count on with the Avalanche it is this: There will always seemingly be some new injury to a key player, always at a bad time of the season. (As opposed to injuries coming at a “good” time, right?).

So it went again Sunday, when it was learned that, yes, goalie Jonathan Bernier has suffered another injury to the head and will be out of action for who-knows-how-long. The Avs, who had the day off Sunday, recalled goalie Spencer Martin from San Antonio to again serve as backup to Semyon Varlamov.

As the Avs head into the home stretch of the season, in a playoff spot with 14 games to go, Bernier’s injury puts tremendous pressure on Varlamov to not only perform at a high level, but to probably have to play every game for the foreseeable future. If, as expected, the injury to Bernier is concussion-related, it will be another in a rash of such injuries of late. Currently, Colin Wilson and Mark Barberio are out with concussions, and this would be Bernier’s second such injury in less than two weeks.

Bernier, 18-11-2 this season with a .914 saves percentage, had to leave Saturday’s game against Arizona in the third period. In the second period, he hit square to the facemask on a big slap shot from Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

Martin’s statistics with San Antonio this season have not been strong. Though he has a winning record (14-12-0), his goals-against average is 3.05 and saves percentage is .895.