Gabriel Landeskog will miss his second game in a row because of a back injury when the Avalanche play in Nashville on Saturday, so Mikhail Grigorenko will return to the top line with Nathan MacKinnon and Matt Duchene.

Landeskog, who missed Wednesday's game against Pittsburgh because of back spasms, didn't practice Friday but accompanied the Avalanche on their three-game trip that includes games in St. Louis on Sunday and Chicago on Tuesday.

"Obviously it's a good opportunity for me," Grigorenko said. "They're great players and, hopefully, I'll be able to get the most (out) of it and make something happen."

Grigorenko started the game against the Penguins on the top line when Landeskog couldn't play but was replaced by Alex Tanguay and demoted to the fourth line with Chris Wagner and Jack Skille later in the first period.

Grigorenko was credited with the second assist on Duchene's early first-period goal but also was guilty of a bad turnover. He finished with one shot on goal in 10:33 of ice time.

Coach Patrick Roy said after the game that he wasn't happy with Grigorenko's compete level and ability to win one-on-one battles. Roy added that Tanguay didn't play any better.

"(Roy) said, 'You have to be strong on the puck, win those battles,' " Grigorenko said. "I understand that in my position, to play with those guys, I don't have the privilege to lose a battle or make mistakes."

Grigorenko, 21, played parts of two seasons with Roy with the Quebec Remparts in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and combined for 70 goals and 69 assists in 92 games. A first-round pick (No. 12) of Buffalo in the 2012 NHL draft, the Russian-born forward had six goals and eight assists in 68 games with the Sabres over parts of three seasons.

The Avalanche acquired Grigorenko in the June 26 trade with Buffalo for Ryan O'Reilly and Jamie McGinn. Colorado also got defenseman Nikita Zadorov (now with San Antonio of the AHL), University of Michigan forward J.T. Compher and a second-round pick (No. 31). The Avalanche traded the pick to San Jose for the 31st selection (Boston University left wing A.J. Greer) , a second-round pick in 2016 and a seventh-rounder in 2017.

Has Grigorenko, who has one goal and nine assists in 25 games, been feeling extra pressure because of the trade? O'Reilly, by the way, is Buffalo's leading scorer with nine goals and 16 assists in 29 games. McGinn has five goals and eight assists in 29 games.

"Maybe there is some pressure, but it's not like it's a bad thing," Grigorenko said. "It's good when you have those expectations and the coaches believe in you and know your potential."

Roy has a special connection with Grigorenko because of their time in Quebec.

"I'm harder on him because I like him a lot and I think he can play at this level and he could be dominant at this level," Roy said. "I know that the reason he was unable to bring the (Remparts) to the next level was his compete level could have been better. The reason why he cannot play right now on the top line is because his compete level is not where it should be. I'm going to be a little tougher on him because I think he has great IQ, he's got great talent, he's got a great shot. He has all the tools to play at our level."

Said Grigorenko: "He knows the game I can play and obviously he wants to see it from me. I guess it's hard for him when he doesn't see it. I think he's really fair to everyone on the team, so there's no problem at all."

Grigorenko was scheduled to be a healthy scratch for the second game in a row Wednesday until Landeskog wasn't able to play.

"Maybe I wasn't 100 percent ready," he said. "I should say I was ready, but it was kind of a quick (announcement about Landeskog's health) and then all of a sudden I was playing on the first line. I was a little nervous maybe and the puck was bouncing a couple of times. But I thought as the game went on, I got better and felt very comfortable with Jack and Chris."

Roy said he'll be ready with another quick hook if Grigorenko doesn't play the way he expects.

"I will give him all the chance possible to play on that line, but as soon as I see him stop competing, I'm going to bring him back," he said.



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