Avalanche Stumble in Game 3 as MacKinnon Leaves with Injury

In Game 3 of the Western Conference finals, the Colorado Avalanche surrendered a 3-0 lead to lose 5-3 to the Vegas Golden Knights. Nathan MacKinnon, the Avalanche’s Hart Trophy finalist and leading playoff scorer (15 points in 12 games), was injured after blocking a slap shot from defenseman Shea Theodore. The puck struck his left leg with 7:54 left in the second period. He missed the remainder of the period, returned briefly in the third, and logged only four shifts before the game ended.

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Colorado entered the series as the heavy favorite, having captured the Presidents’ Trophy for the league’s best regular-season record. Historically, teams that fall behind 0-3 in a best-of-seven series in the round before the Stanley Cup Final are 49-0, and only four teams have ever rallied after losing the first three games. The Avalanche’s franchise record when leading by at least three goals is 74-1, and the club had won 49 straight games (regular season and playoffs) after building a three-goal advantage.

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Coach Jared Bednar guided the Avalanche, while goaltender Scott Wedgewood guarded the net. Defenseman Cale Makar returned after missing the first two games with an upper-body injury, logging 27:14 of ice time. Forward Gabriel Landeskog and Nazem Kadri contributed goals in the opening period. For Vegas, captain Mark Stone, forward William Karlsson, and forward Tomas Hertl were instrumental in the comeback.

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• Avalanche leading scorer: Nathan MacKinnon – 15 points in 12 playoff games.

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• Avalanche franchise record when up by three goals: 74-1.

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• Teams with a 3-0 series lead before the Stanley Cup Final: 49-0.

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• Presidents’ Trophy “curse”: only two teams in the past 20 seasons have captured the Cup after winning the trophy.

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The loss places Colorado on the brink of a sweep, threatening its pursuit of the Stanley Cup and reviving concerns about the Presidents’ Trophy “curse.” MacKinnon’s limited availability further complicates the Avalanche’s offensive options as they face elimination.

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Coach Bednar described the situation as “as low as it can get,” emphasizing the need for the team to regroup and climb a “big hill.” Wedgewood praised MacKinnon’s competitive drive, noting the player’s willingness to sacrifice for a win. Makar highlighted the season’s stakes, calling the effort “desperate at times” and acknowledging missed opportunities that the Knights capitalized on. Bednar offered no update on MacKinnon’s condition after the game.

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Vegas players framed the comeback as a shift in momentum. Stone said the Knights “knew that was going to be their best period of the season,” while Hertl observed that Karlsson’s goal “put a doubt in their heads.” The Knights’ rally on the power play and subsequent goals were presented as evidence of their resilience.

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• “It's as low as it can get,” — Jared Bednar, Avalanche head coach

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• “Obviously, we might have to kill him to get him off the ice. It's just the kind of the person he is and the competitor he is,” — Scott Wedgewood, Avalanche goaltender

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• “I mean, obviously it's our season on the line. Our mentality's been like that, and it should have been like that today,” — Cale Makar, Avalanche defenseman

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• “We knew that was going to be their best period of the season,” — Mark Stone, Golden Knights captain

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• “When Karly scored, it kind of put them on the heels. It put a doubt in their heads because they know they need a win tonight,” — Tomas Hertl, Golden Knights forward

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The Avalanche must address MacKinnon’s condition and find a way to overturn a 0-3 deficit as they head into Game 4. The outcome will determine whether Colorado can stave off elimination and keep its Stanley Cup aspirations alive.

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