NEW JERSEY VS. PITTSBURGH COLORADO VS. ST. LOUIS

Friday, May 11 Forsberg's loss is 'devastating' to Avs Darren Pang Special to ESPN.com The news about Peter Forsberg's emergency spleen removal is devastating not only to him, but also to the Colorado Avalanche, a team that has been geared toward winning the Stanley Cup. To win a Stanley Cup, a team needs two main centermen who can compete against the best teams and diversify the offense. The Avs had that with Forsberg and Joe Sakic, two of the best in the game. And in addition to Forsberg being out for the rest of the playoffs, Sakic has a bad shoulder and is not 100 percent healthy either. Before Wednesday night's Game 7, ESPN showed a highlight of Forsberg grimacing during the warmup. At the time we speculated he might have a groin injury. We asked a number of players about his ice time during the off days, and they insisted the team was trying to keep him fresh. Forsberg's absence greatly diminishes Colorado's chances. Going into the Western Conference finals, St. Louis' depth was already going to be tough for the Avs to handle. The Blues have the ability to roll four strong lines. When a team prepares to play the Avs, they look at Forsberg, Sakic, Milan Hejduk, Rob Blake's big shot, Ray Bourque's mobility and Adam Foote's hitting. But the No. 1 thing they examine is how to contain Forsberg. To account for Forsberg's loss, the Avs will have to move up Steve Reinprecht to Forsberg's line. He may be able to switch off with Stephane Yelle, who centers the third line. But the Avs still need a strong third line, which played well in the series-clinching victory over Los Angeles. I don't know when Forsberg's injury originally occurred, but it is a great lesson for all teams. When a team has another one down 3-1 in a playoff series, it must put its foot on the other team's throat and not allow a comeback because the wear and tear takes a toll on the body. Forsberg's injury could have been caused by the Kings' ability to fight back and extend the series to a seventh game. Former NHL goalie Darren Pang is a game analyst for ESPN. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories

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