Avalanche defenseman Sam Girard will miss a second consecutive Stanley Cup Playoff game against Nashville with an upper-body injury, coach Jared Bednar confirmed Monday.

Girard, a 19-year-old rookie revelation for the Avs, has not participated in the last several team practices in advance of Game 3 at 8 p.m. inside the Pepsi Center. In his Game 2 absence, Girard was replaced on the second pairing by rookie Duncan Siemens, who worked with Patrik Nemeth at full strength. David Warsofsky replaced Girard on the second power-play unit.

“(Girard) is still day-to-day, hopefully he’s back for Game 4,” Bednar said. “The impact this game is the same as last game. We miss him a little bit from a puck-moving standpoint and certainly power play. He’s grown into a top defender for us and plays a lot of minutes, especially down the stretch. I felt like his game is peaking and he’s getting better as the year has gone on. So he’s a big loss for us.”

The team is already stretched thin defensively without top defenseman Erik Johnson, who is recovering from a fractured kneecap. Nashville holds a 2-0 series lead after 5-2 and 5-4 victories at home as the Avs hope to turn momentum in their favor back on home ice.

“I think we can play with these guys,” Avs defenseman Mark Barberio said. “A lot of times it’s our own mistakes that have cost us. When they get a lead, they’re a patient team and they have the skill and ability to capitalize on mistakes. I think for us it’s just to minimize those mental errors in the game and continue to attack them.”