The Colorado Avalanche entered the Stanley Cup playoffs as one of the biggest favorites to hoist the trophy, with the Avs advancing to the Western Conference Final in a matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights.
After three games, however, the Avalanche find themselves on the brink of elimination. An improbable Game 3 loss, fostered by a late collapse against Vegas—Colorado led 3-0 but ended up losing 5-3—has left the Avalanche trailing 3-0 in the series, putting their season in immediate jeopardy.
The situation worsened after star center and team captain Nathan MacKinnon exited Game 3 with a lower-body issue.
According to Sportsnet's Eric Francis, Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar confirmed on Monday morning that there is still no clear update on MacKinnon’s condition following the loss to Vegas on Sunday night.
MacKinnon suffered the injury in the second period while blocking a shot, taking the puck off his leg before leaving the ice briefly for treatment.
Despite returning to the game, he was limited, taking only a handful of shifts and struggling to skate at full intensity, and ultimately went into the locker room for further treatment.
Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Bednar did not provide specifics beyond confirming the lower-body nature of the injury, adding that the forward will continue to undergo further evaluation and treatment.
MacKinnon has been a key performer for the Avalanche throughout the postseason, leading the team in scoring with 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in 12 games.
"It seems like a tough hill to climb, too, obviously, especially against a tough team like Vegas,” Bednar said after the Game 3 loss. “You just have to break it down a shift at a time, five at a time, a period at a time, a game at a time. It's as low as it can get."
Teams that fall behind 3-0 in a best-of-seven series in the round before the Stanley Cup Final are 0-49 all-time. Game 4 is scheduled for Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET in Las Vegas.
