Avalanche C Sakic leaves game

Nov 29, 2008 - 5:42 AM GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) -- Colorado Avalanche captain Joe Sakic left Friday's 2-1 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes after playing just one shift in the first period.

Sakic has been dealing with back issues, limiting him to parts of five games in November.

"We thought we were going to have him in there," Colorado coach Tony Granato said. "To have him just a shift changes your whole dynamic of what you're going to do."

The 39-year-old Sakic has two goals and 10 assists in 15 games this season.

He registered 13 goals and 27 assists last campaign and added two tallies and eight assists in the postseason as Colorado reached the Western Conference semifinals.

Drafted 15th overall by the Quebec Nordiques in 1987, Sakic moved to Colorado with the franchise in 1996 and has been the team's captain for 16 seasons. Sakic has 625 goals, 1,016 assists for 1,641 points in 1,378 career games.