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Duchene out for at least a month with knee injury

Winnipeg Jets v Colorado Avalanche

DENVER, CO - DECEMBER 27: Matt Duchene #9 of the Colorado Avalanche looks on as he warms up prior to facing the Winnipeg Jets at the Pepsi Center on December 27, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. The Jets defeated the Avalanche 4-1. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

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We finally have an update on the knee injury that caused Matt Duchene to leave last night’s game against Phoenix in the first period. After undergoing an MRI today, the Avalanche have announced that the young star will miss at least a month with an injury to his right knee. All the sudden, last night’s 3-2 victory against the Coyotes seems like a cheap parting gift in comparison to the long-term implications of Duchene’s injury.

The news comes at a critical time for the Avalanche. Despite winning six of their last seven games, the Avalanche are still sitting in the 10th spot in the Western Conference with a couple of teams breathing down their neck. They obviously need to keep their foot on the pedal to stay in the mix for one of the last playoff spots in the West. A month-long dry spell in the win column would doom any team competing for the playoffs.

Unfortunately for Colorado, Duchene is one of the players they can least afford to lose. The 20-year-old center is leading the Avalanche in goals (12) and he’s second on the team in scoring. Losing one of their best scorers has to be one of the worst things for the team that is 24th in the league in scoring.

Now it’s time for guys like Paul Stastny and Milan Hejduk to pick up the slack as the Avs try to keep their head above water to start the New Year.