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Matt Duchene likely out for playoff series against the Wild

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While it doesn't feel like it after Game 1, the Wild have caught a break.

It's not overly surprising, but Saturday before Game 2, Avalanche coach Patrick Roy said center Matt Duchene, the Avs' regular season points leader, likely will not play in the opening round series against the Wild even if the series goes to a Game 7. In addition, Colorado third line center John Mitchell isn't progressing from an injury, Roy said, and may not return for the series.

"I don"t think we will see Matt in this series," Roy said. "I would be very very surprised. He hasn't started skating yet. I don't think we'll see him."

As for Mitchell?

"Mitchell to me is still day to day," Roy said. "We'll see how it goes. But he's not close."

A few other tidbits from the team's morning skates before I begin working on stories for the paper:

-- Darcy Kuemper participated in morning skate again and will likely serve as the backup in Game 2. Coach Mike Yeo met with the media before Saturday's optional skate was over, so he said he wouldn't make a decision on his backup until he heard how Kuemper held up.

But Kuemper met with the media and said he's ready to get back in the lineup.

"I feel really good," Kuemper said. "I feel on top of my game. All the rust I'd say is gone so I think I'm ready to get back in the lineup.

"I think if I would've went in for Game 1 to backup -- even if I wouldn't have played -- if something happened I don't think I would've been in the spot I needed to be to help the team. But these extra two days have helped me get back to where I need to be."

-- The Wild's smaller, less physical players -- most notably Mikael Granlund and Jonas Brodin -- were bullied around in Game 1. How the Wild respond physically will be a big storyline in Game 2.

"We want to finish our checks, yes, theres no doubt about that," Roy said. "We don't try to get him out of the ice, but we want to finish our check. I think it's fair and I think it's the way the game should be played. If these guys play big minutes, we want them to play big minutes."

The post Matt Duchene likely out for playoff series against the Wild appeared first on Wild Now.


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