Nagging Injury Sidelines York

Mighty Duck defenseman Jason York sat out Wednesday’s game because of a sore right shoulder, a precautionary move according to Coach Bryan Murray.

York, who signed a three-year, $6-million contract last summer, underwent a MRI exam Tuesday. Duck officials said the tests were negative and that York was resting a “sore shoulder.” But York said that it revealed tendinitis in the rotator cuff and said it was a “day-to-day thing.”

Vitaly Vishnevski, who had missed the previous five games because of a sprained left ankle, took York’s place.

“I basically have been playing with my right shoulder at 50% strength,” York said. “There was a lot of hockey coming up and I’ve been banged up pretty good. I haven’t been able to do the things that I’m accustomed to doing. As far as strength, it’s just not there.”

York said he first hurt the shoulder when he went head first into the boards during a Nov. 16 game at Columbus, Ohio, and re-injured it a week later against the New York Islanders. He has played in pain ever since.

“I couldn’t lift my arm [after the Islander game],” York said. “It hasn’t gotten any better in the month and a half I’ve been playing with it. I use a lot upper body strength and that’s not there and that’s not a good thing.”

“When you’re playing hurt, a lot of scar tissue builds up. I kept playing and playing and it kind of gets chronic.”

Murray hoped that two days of treatment would have York ready for Friday’s game at Minnesota.

Chris Foster