Rantanen injures shoulder, is expected to sit out for “weeks”

The Avalanche injury problem is snowballing.

Forward Mikko Rantanen suffered an apparent shoulder injury Monday night in Colorado’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Lightning and is expected to miss “weeks,” coach Jared Bednar told reporters. It resulted from a tripping penalty late in the second period on Tampa Bay defenseman Erik Cernak, sending Rantanen crashing into the boards.

Rantanen was in pain and clearly favored his left shoulder as he exited the Pepsi Center ice toward the tunnel for treatment. Colorado designated it as an upper-body injury, and Rantanen was ruled out for a return to play.

Rantanen joins a growing list of injured Avalanche players: goalie Philipp Grubauer (day to day), forward Matt Calvert (week to week), forward Nazem Kadri (week to week) and forward Colin Wilson (indefinite).

“Other guys have to step up,” Bednar said. “It’s a great opportunity. We have to find a way to carve out wins like we did earlier in the year. It’s going to get tougher and tougher, but hopefully, we can get those guys healthy and back to joining our team as soon as possible. Guys are going to get opportunities and call-ups. … Guys that have been here and are wanting more ice time, we’ll see what they’ve got.”

Rantanen previously missed 16 games this season in OctoberNovember with an ankle injury. He has recorded 41 points (19 goals) over 42 games played this season. On Monday night, Rantanen assisted on Colorado’s opening goal to forward Andre Burakovsky.

The Avalanche’s injury list had previously gained two members following Saturday’s outdoor loss against the Kings with Calvert and goalie Grubauer sidelined.

Calvert and Grubauer suffered lower-body injuries at Falcon Stadium on the Air Force Academy campus.

Calvert has 25 points (12 goals) over 50 games this season. Matt Nieto will replace Calvert on the third line, Bednar added, with T.J. Tynan stepping into Colorado’s fourth line. Bednar described Calvert’s injury as an “oblique strain.”

“(Calvert) felt pain in his lower body, and it kind of got worse and worse,” Bednar said. “We’re hoping it’s an injury that we can get him back skating and playing here in the next couple of weeks.”

Backup goalie Pavel Francouz started in net against the Lightning Monday night. He is 13-5-2 this season with a 2.44 goalsagainst average and a .925 save percentage. Francouz is 2-2-1 over his last five game appearances.

Grubauer was injured during a third-period collision with teammate Ian Cole against the Kings.

On Sunday, the Avs recalled AHL goalie Hunter Miska from the Colorado Eagles. Miska, 24, touts a 13-5-3 record this season with a 2.62 goals-against average, a .919 save percentage and one shutout. The former Minnesota Duluth goaltender signed with Colorado as a free agent in July and has one career NHL game appearance — in November of 2018 for the Arizona Coyotes in relief duty against the Detroit Red Wings.

“We know it’s coming.” The NHL trade deadline is one week away (Feb. 24) with several teams already making moves. The Lightning traded for New Jersey Devils forward Blake Coleman on Sunday in exchange for forward prospect Nolan Foote and a 2020 first-round draft pick.