The Avalanche superstar suffered a concerning lower-body injury during Game 3 after blocking a Shea Theodore slap shot, leaving Colorado anxiously waiting to determine whether its leading scorer can play in a must-win situation tonight.

Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar admitted after practice that the team may not know his final status until close to puck drop, though the organization remains hopeful the former Hart Trophy winner can suit up.

What injury is Nathan MacKinnon dealing with?

Nathan MacKinnon is dealing with a lower-body injury after blocking a Shea Theodore slap shot in Game 3. He appeared to injure his knee or leg area during the second period and was visibly limited for the rest of the game.

He briefly returned to the ice later in the game, but his shifts became noticeably shorter and he played only limited minutes during the third period of their 5-3 loss. Colorado has since listed him as day-to-day ahead of Game 4 in Las Vegas.

The injury came at a brutal moment. He has remained the team’s offensive leader throughout the postseason and has continued to play heavy minutes despite the physical intensity of the series.

What did Jared Bednar say about Nathan MacKinnon’s injury?

Jared Bednar said the Avalanche are hopeful Nathan MacKinnon can play in Game 4, but his status remains uncertain. The Colorado head coach avoided giving a definitive update after practice.

Bednar acknowledged that he was clearly limited after blocking the shot in Game 3, though he also praised the forward for attempting to continue playing despite the pain. According to the NHL, the coach described the situation as something the medical staff would continue monitoring throughout Tuesday.

What is Nathan MacKinnon’s playoff record against the Golden Knights?

Nathan MacKinnon has consistently produced offensively against the Vegas Golden Knights during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, even though Colorado has experienced mixed team results in the matchup.

One of the most memorable series between the two teams came in 2021, when Vegas eliminated Colorado in six games during the second round despite MacKinnon scoring in the opening games of the series.

He has repeatedly been a difficult matchup for Vegas because of his speed through the neutral zone and ability to generate offense off the rush. Even during this year’s Western Conference Final, he remained the offensive focal point.

What is the Avalanche’s record without Nathan MacKinnon?

The Colorado Avalanche have historically remained competitive without Nathan MacKinnon, posting an all-time record of 46-27-5 in games he has missed. They have maintained a positive goal differential without its superstar center.

During the 2025-26 season specifically, the Avalanche went 2-0-0 in regular-season games without him. They defeated the Utah Mammoth 4-2 in February before closing the regular season with a 2-0 victory over the Seattle Kraken.

Even with those encouraging numbers, his absence still changes the offense. The 30-year-old center led the NHL with 53 goals during the 2025-26 regular season and finished with 127 total points, once again serving as a centerpiece.

Have the Avalanche ever come back from a 3-0 playoff deficit?

No, the Colorado Avalanche have never come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series in franchise history. They now face that challenge after dropping the first three games against Vegas in the 2026 Western Conference Final.

Historically, NHL teams trailing 3-0 in a best-of-seven series almost never recover. Only four teams in NHL history have successfully completed a comeback from a 3-0 series deficit. Colorado’s most famous postseason success came during its 2022 Stanley Cup championship run under Jared Bednar.

“For him to be able to come back out and even help us on the power play and empty-net situations, if that’s all he can do, we’ll take it,” Bednar commented on MacKinnon after Game 3, via TSN. ”It’s better than anything else, in my opinion, we can put on the ice.”

Bednar’ comments on MacKinnon could signal the Avalanche star may be cleared to play in the NHL Western Conference Final. After all, if he was able to return in Game 3, the odds of him being back in Game 4—with some rest and treatment—should be quite positive.

The Avalanche will walk into T-Mobile Arena with their season on the line. The NHL’s Presidents’ Trophy winners seem dead to rights as the Golden Knights have them all figured out. If MacKinnon is indeed out for Game 4, it may as well be all she wrote for Colorado in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

What happened to MacKinnon?

MacKinnon has been playing through pain lately. During Game 3, the Avalanche’s star blocked a shot from Shea Theodore which hit him in his right knee. MacKinnon played a couple more shifts before heading down the tunnel.

As he returned from the locker room, he was sent onto the ice in man-advantage situations. Still, he looked far from 100%. As Bednar noted, the Avs know that even if he isn’t at full capacity MacKinnon can still produce and be impactful.

MacKinnon may want to play either way

In Game 4, in a true win-or-go-home situation, the medical team may have its concerns about playing MacKinnon, but the star might not give them a choice. “You might have to kill MacKinnon to get him off the ice,” Scott Wedgewood summed everything up after Game 3.

Colorado definitely hopes it doesn’t go that far and it can play its best player in the Avs’ biggest game of the season, yet. From here on out, every game will be the biggest of the year for the franchise in Mile High City. However, if MacKinnon isn’t cleared to play, the Avalanche will have to dig deep and find a way to get out of the Golden Knights’ chokehold.

“I just said execution like five times. I think that’s what hurt us,” MacKinnon told reporters after the game, via NHL.com. “It needs to be better. And, you know, obviously we’re capable of being a lot better than that.”

The Vegas Golden Knights got the best of MacKinnon’s Avalanche en route to a 4-2 victory in Game 1. Colorado is sensing the pressure as it trails in a series for the first time in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Avalanche lose first home game of the playoffs

Up until its defeat against Vegas, Colorado was undefeated at Ball Arena in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Avs are 5-1 at home, whereas the Knights are 5-2 on the road so far in this year’s postseason.

Moreover, the last time the Avs had lost an opening game was in the 2024 postseason—Game 1 of the first round against the Winnipeg Jets. They ended up turning the tables and advancing with a 4-1 series win, so perhaps this serves as a wake-up call for MacKinnon and company.

Tortorella warns Avalanche about Hart

Despite a concerning start to the playoffs, John Tortorella and the Golden Knights stuck with Carter Hart in net. Needless to say, patience has been a virtue and has paid off for the team in Sin City so far. Following yet another strong outing in Game 1 against Colorado Avalanche, Tortorella praised Hart’s resilience with a sincere comment.

“[Hart] is a hell of a goalie. I think he’s grown so strong mentally. I don’t think much bothers him. He is just zeroed in,” Tortorella said about his goaltender, via TSN. “And he’s going to have to be, because we’ve got a lot of work to do here.”

Hart is a problem for Avalanche

Hart was the first star of the night in Game 1 as he stopped 36 shots and finished with a .947 save percentage (SV%). So far in the playoffs, he has registered a 2.35 goals-against average (GAA) and a .920 SV% through 13 games.

Among goalies with at least eight games played in the postseason, Hart ranks fourth in goals saved above expected (6.3), according to data from MoneyPuck. Hart also has the second-most saves against unblocked shot attempts with 826 stops.

His numbers only go to show how much work is left to be done by MacKinnon and the Avalanche. If they want to advance past Vegas, the Avs must make Hart uncomfortable because the 27-year-old netminder has finally settled into the crease in the Entertainment Capital of the World.

“I know I need to play better and create more offensively,” Kaprizov admitted to reporters on Monday, via The Athletic’s Michael Russo. Kaprizov recorded an assist during the Wild‘s 9-6 loss against the Avalanche in Game 1.

Although he wasn’t held scoreless, it was tougher to notice Kaprizov during some stretches of the game, especially considering how big of a factor he was during the first-round series against the Dallas Stars. For the first time in the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, Kaprizov finished with a negative plus/minus (-2) in the series opener against Colorado.

The Wild need Kaprizov

Taking on a team with the likes of MacKinnon, Makar, Nelson, Kadri, Necas, and many more, Kaprizov is well aware the Wild can’t afford for him to have such quiet outings. He has now set his mind on being impossible to miss every time he hits the ice. Fortunately, Kaprizov’s shot at redemption will come quickly.

The Wild will take on the Avs in Game 2 at Ball Arena on May 5. The two sides will then be in for a three-game break, as Game 3 will be on May 9 back in the Twin Cities. For Kaprizov and Minnesota, coming away with one in the Mile High City is paramount.

Potential goaltending change

Although none of Colorado’s nine goals can be blamed on rookie goaltender Jesper Wallstedt, he did, in fact, give up eight goals (the ninth of the night was an empty-netter) in a playoff game. That’s never been a recipe for success in the NHL, let alone in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Thus, despite Wallstedt playing lights out throughout the opening round, Wild head coach John Hynes hasn’t committed to naming the former first-round pick in 2021 as the starter for Game 2. “Hynes hasn’t made lineup decisions for tomorrow yet, including his goaltender,” per Michael Russo on X.

Filip Gustavsson could man the crease instead. Gustavsson last started for Minnesota on April 13. Despite playing more games throughout the regular season than Wallstedt, the veteran ultimately lost the crease to the rookie as the Wild opted to ride the hot hand. Gustavsson may have his chance to reclaim his starting job. Whether its Gustavsson or Wallstedt in net, it’s clear Kaprizov and company must do a better job in front of their goalie if they want to have any chance against MacKinnon and the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Avalanche.

It may get lost behind the fact that they won the Presidents’ Trophy and scored the most goals in the regular season, but the Avalanche also gave up the least goals in the 2025-26 NHL season. Thus, fans can rest assured that when the action gets tighter, the ice seemingly shrinks, and every puck battle can prove decisive, the Avs will be up for the challenge. In case anybody on the Kings overlooked that, MacKinnon delivered a reminder after Game 1 of the first-round series.

“We are comfortable in those low-scoring games,” MacKinnon admitted after the game, via DNVR. “We gave up the least goals in the league this year, we pride ourselves off our defensive hockey. It may be harder for [other] people, but that’s what we want to be.“

Wedgewood stood tall once again

Scott Wedgewood’s incredible performance in the 2025–26 NHL regular season transitioned smoothly into his first career start in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Avalanche’s goalie stopped 24 shots to help his team come away with a crucial Game 1 victory on home ice.

In Game 1 against the Kings, Wedgewood recorded a .960 save percentage (SV%) after finishing the campaign with the league’s best .921 SV% and a 2.02 GAA. If he can keep his red-hot form, MacKinnon and the Avs will remain confident they can walk away with low-scoring wins.

Colorado’s push for its fourth Stanley Cup in franchise history is largely hanging on the glove and trapper of a 33-year-old revitalized veteran netminder. So far, so good. If Game 1 of the first round is any indicator, the Avalanche are in safe hands.

Series schedule

• Game 2: Kings at Avalanche (April 21)
• Game 3: Avalanche at Kings (April 23)
• Game 4: Avalanche at Kings (April 26)
• Game 5 IF NECCESARY: Kings at Avalanche (April 29)
• Game 6 IF NECCESARY: Avalanche at Kings (May 1)
• Game 7 IF NECCESARY: Kings at Avalanche (May 3)

“There’s no excuse. I think if we’re making excuses for that performance, it’s going to be a short [playoff] run,” Bednar said after the 8-6 loss at home to the Canucks, via NHL.com. “We have to play [with effort] for 60 minutes. But we weren’t even close.”

Bednar’s comments aren’t by chance. After a dominant first half of the 2025–26 NHL season, the Avs are now showing cracks in their foundation. MacKinnon remains red-hot—he scored his 50th goal of the season (121 points) against Vancouver—but the team is struggling in other areas.

Avalanche’s concerning form

Indeed, the Avs have won five of their last seven games, but they are just 5-4-1 over their last 10 outings. Moreover, Colorado is looking fragile at home. At Ball Arena in the Mile High City—where the Avs are expected to have a second wind against visiting opponents—the Avalanche have lost five of their last six home games.

As things stand, Colorado is on track to finish the campaign as Presidents’ Trophy champions. That would mean the Stanley Cup Playoffs run through Denver—with MacKinnon’s side enjoying home-ice advantage in every round. Yet if the Avs continue to be a liability on home ice, that advantage could become a burden.

Moreover, the Avalanche have some unfinished business when it comes to the postseason. They’ve had one of the best cores in the league for years, yet aside from their Stanley Cup run in 2022, the Avalanche have never made it past the second round. Colorado could once again run into its kryptonite—the Dallas Stars—in the 2026 playoffs, and there’s no guarantee the Avs would come out of that matchup alive.

Bednar wants Colorado to play with hunger again

Thus, Bednar is wasting no time sending a message to his team. Every dog has its day—that’s a fact. But for a struggling Canucks team to have it against the No. 1 team in the league is something Colorado can’t fathom and won’t let slide.

The Avalanche have eight games left on the schedule. With their playoff spot already secured, these final games will be crucial in helping them find their mojo. If not, as Bednar bluntly warned, the Avs could be headed for another short playoff run.

Colorado should know better—these disappointing endings have a way of snowballing, and sooner or later, the team could find itself buried under an avalanche of heartbreak and self-doubt.

‘It’s a good start… we feel good about the way we’re playing. Making the playoffs is the first step to where you want to go,’ Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said via NHL.com after the team secured its postseason berth.

MacKinnon’s playmaking set the tone early, helping the Avalanche control the game from the opening period, just days after Bednar reacted to Nathan MacKinnon’s criticism as Avalanche make roster move. Martin Necas added a goal and two assists, reaching a career-high 84 points, as Colorado’s top players delivered in a key moment.

MacKinnon continues elite run

MacKinnon extended his point streak to five games, further cementing his role as the engine of Colorado’s offense. His ability to create scoring chances and dictate tempo has been critical as the team pushes toward the playoffs.

The Avalanche dominated early, outshooting Chicago 20-5 in the first period, with MacKinnon at the center of their offensive rhythm. His connection with Necas and other top forwards has helped elevate the team’s consistency down the stretch.

Avalanche peaking at the right time

With 100 points and a playoff spot secured, Colorado is building momentum as the postseason approaches. MacKinnon’s current form, combined with contributions from players like Necas and Valeri Nichushkin, gives the Avalanche a balanced and dangerous attack.

If MacKinnon maintains this level of production, Colorado will enter the playoffs as one of the strongest contenders, with its top star leading the charge at the most important time of the season.

“We’ve got to get to Oettinger more. I feel like all three games we’ve outshot and outplayed them heavily, we’ve just got to find a way to beat that guy,” MacKinnon said after the 2-1 loss on home ice, via Will Petersen of Denver Sports 104.3.

Colorado almost doubled Dallas in shots on goal, as the Avs fired 34 pucks on Oettinger’s net to the Stars‘ 18 on Scott Wedgewood. The Avalanche also dominated at the dot, winning 57.6% of the faceoffs. However, they couldn’t figure out Oettinger—once more.

Not even the fact the Avalanche reacted to MacKinnon’s criticism with a roster move before the game against Dallas changed the tune. The Stars have defeated the Avs once again.

Dallas is proving to be Colorado’s kryptonite

Not only in the Stanley Cup Playoffs—where the Avs are 2-5 in series against the Stars (including two straight eliminations in 2024 and 2025)—but in the regular season, as well. Dallas simply has Colorado’s number. That is a scary thought for the Avalanche, as there is a very real scenario in which they meet the Stars once again in the second round of the postseason.

Whether the Stars play better than the Avs or not seems to be irrelevant. So far in the 2025–26 NHL season, Colorado has outshot Dallas in all three of their meetings. Still, MacKinnon and the Avalanche have a 1-0-2 record to show for it.

Recent playoff history between Stars and Avalanche

On the bright side, Colorado can hang on to the fact that all three games have been decided in a shootout. In the playoffs, shootouts no longer exist. However, sudden-death, 5-on-5 overtime hasn’t been much kinder to MacKinnon and company either.

Since the 2019–20 season, the Stars and Avs have faced each other in three playoff series. Dallas has moved on each time, and whenever a game has gone to overtime, Colorado is 1-4. It seems the Avalanche’s only chance to defeat the Stars is through a blowout, whereas the Texan club excels in tight, low-scoring duels.

Perhaps, the fact Jake Oettinger is in net for the Stars explains the logic behind that statistic. Regardless, MacKinnon has grown sick and tired of falling at the hands of Dallas. Maybe this year will be different. For Colorado, it has to be.

After MacKinnon expressed his frustration with Bednar and the Avs dressing 11 forwards and 7 defensemen on the lineup, Colorado reacted. According to The Denver Post’s Corey Masisak, the Avalanche are recalling a forward and putting together a traditional 12-forward and 6-blueliner lineup.

The Avalanche had been playing an 11/7 lineup since Ross Colton sustained an upper-body injury against the Edmonton Oilers on March 10. Since, Colorado played three games in the NHL campaign, going 1-2-0.

Lineup changes for Colorado

It’s become clear that the Avalanche are better off with 12 forwards and 6 defensemen, so that’s the route Bednar and company are taking. However, most signs indicate Colton will remain sidelined, as he is still considered day-to-day.

Defenseman Nick Blankenburg will be sent down to the minors, as Colorado recalls another forward to fill the open spot on the fourth line. Instead of dressing an extra blueliner and constantly shifting defensive pairings and forward lines, the Avalanche will do what most NHL teams do: roll out established lines.

The Colorado Avalanche’s decision comes at the perfect time. Colorado is set to host the Dallas Stars in a crucial game. The Avs are currently three points clear atop the Central Division NHL. A win over the Stars could go a long way toward securing the division title, while a loss could put their grip on first place at risk.

“We’ve just been making so many mistakes,” MacKinnon admitted postgame, via Guerrilla Sports. “I don’t like [playing] seven defensemen. Different defensive pairs every shift isn’t great. The flow is off for sure.”

MacKinnon’s statement is a clear warning shot for head coach Bednar and the Avalanche. If a team leader like MacKinnon isn’t pleased with the 11/7 lineup, then it should be a wake-up call for the coaching staff. An 11/7 lineup means the Avs are dressing 11 forwards and 7 defensemen.

Why is Colorado playing 11 forwards?

The Avalanche are currently without Ross Colton, who sustained an upper-body injury during Colorado’s 4-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. Colton is considered day-to-day but has now missed three straight games in the 2025-26 NHL season.

Rather than replace him, Jared Bednar has opted to call up defenseman Nick Blankenburg and have him serve as an extra blueliner. The move paid off in the first game, as Colorado defeated Seattle by a score of 5-1.

Avalanche are running into trouble without Colton

However, the Avalanche have dropped consecutive games since, including a disheartening 7-2 loss at home to the Penguins. Perhaps after hearing MacKinnon publicly criticize the coaching decision, Bednar will assemble a 12/6 lineup once again.

Up next, Colorado will take on the Dallas Stars (March 18) in a pivotal game for first place in the Central Division. The Avs can’t afford to give the Stars any advantage, and right now, it seems like playing an incomplete forward line does just that.

“I really don’t give a cr– if their goalie’s hurt. That’s on their defenseman [Darnell Nurse], not on our guy,” Bednar stated after the game, via @GinoHard_ on X. “If you put guys into your own goalie, that’s not a penalty.”

Bednar’s blunt response is nothing new for fans around the NHL who have grown used to his postgame media availabilities. However, his latest message on MacKinnon and the Oilers is one particularly noisy and disruptive. As expected, it didn’t take long for users on social media to react.

Fans’ reaction to the play and Bednar’s statement

As many fans noted, Bednar’s message may have consequences for the Avalanche going forward. “So what he is saying is that it’s open season on his goalie as long as you run into a defenseman first. Ok then,” an user on X said. “He’s not wrong on the Nurse front. It is pretty classless to say that about Ingram,” another fan commented.

It may be a bit of a stretch, but the door could now be open for retaliation. Colorado will visit Edmonton on April 13. It may look like a long way down the road, but that doesn’t change the fact the Oilers may seek some form of revenge. In the NHL, teams don’t forget, and Ingram going down with a concussion won’t sit right with Edmonton for a while.

MacKinnon was handed a game misconduct

While Bednar pleads MacKinnon’s case after the 4-3 loss to the Oilers, there wasn’t much he could do to let him off the officiating’s hook. MacKinnon was assessed a five-minute major for goaltender interference and a game misconduct.

With MacKinnon out of the game for the entire third period, the Avs conceded the decisive goal as Connor McDavid cashed in on a power play at 9:03 of the final frame. Thanks to their captain, the Oilers escaped Mile High City with a statement win.