ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog says he is embarrassed by the cross-check he delivered that drew a three-game suspension from the NHL.

The Colorado forward hit Anaheim defenseman Simon Despres in the neck with his stick in the third period Wednesday. There was no penalty on the play.

After practice Friday, Landeskog said there was "no excuse for anything like that. ...It was just a really, really, really dumb play on my part."

Landeskog plans to reach out to Despres when things settle down. And while he will accompany the Avalanche on their four-game trip, Landeskog won't play again until March 20 in Edmonton.

His absence is a big blow for Colorado, which is in a tight race with Minnesota for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.