Avalanche D Cale Makar out with head injury

TAMPA, Fla, (AP) — Colorado Avalanche star defenseman Cale Makar will miss the final two games of a current road trip with a head injury.

Colorado coach Jared Bednar announced the news before Thursday night’s game at the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Makar will also miss Saturday’s matchup at Florida and will be re-evaluated when the team returns to Denver to face the Lightning on Tuesday night.

“We just kind of keep an eye on it day by day and see how it goes,” Bednar said. “He’s going to miss the remainder of this road trip at minimum.”

Makar, who has 13 goals and 45 points in 45 games this season, was hurt on a check by Pittsburgh’s Jeff Carter on Tuesday night.

Makar won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP last season when the Avalanche stopped Tampa Bay’s two-year reign as NHL champions by winning a six-game Stanley Cup Final.

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