Veteran Avalanche center John Mitchell will be a healthy scratch for the first time this season against the Anaheim Ducks Thursday night at the Pepsi Center. He missed the first five games with a hip injury, but has played in every game since. His only goal of the season came on Dec. 8 at Boston. Colorado placed him on waivers in early November, but he was unclaimed and remained with the team.
The other scratches against the Ducks will be Joe Colborne and Eric Gelinas.
E.J. update. The Avalanche’s only injured player remains defenseman Erik Johnson, who suffered a broken fibula Dec.