Colorado Avalanche C Matt Duchene leaves game with knee injury

DENVER - Colorado Avalanche centre Matt Duchene has left the game against San Jose with a knee injury and will not return.

Duchene was hurt on the opening shift Saturday when he collided with teammate Jamie McGinn near the Sharks blue line. He fell to the ice and then gingerly skated to the bench.

The Avalanche did not specify which knee was injured.

Duchene has 23 goals and a team-leading 70 points in 70 games this season. He missed three games in November after sustaining an oblique injury against Florida.