Makar Sidelined Again as Avalanche Face 2-0 Hole — Is Makar Playing Tonight
Cale Makar was still sidelined by an upper-body injury as the Colorado Avalanche entered Game 3 in Vegas on Sunday night, and that kept is makar playing tonight at the center of their Western Conference Final problem. Colorado already trails the series 2-0 after two home losses.
Bednar Leaves the Choice to Makar
Jared Bednar said Makar will decide when he is ready to play. “He will tell us when he’s ready to play,” the coach said. He added, “No one can go into Cale’s body and feel what he’s feeling, so when he feels like he can do all the things he needs to be able to do on the ice to play, then he’s going to make the decision to play.”
That leaves Colorado preparing for another playoff game without one of its top defensemen. Makar, who is also a reigning Norris Trophy candidate in the article, has been out all series, and the Avalanche’s margin for error has already shrunk to almost nothing after dropping both games at home.
Avalanche Need Clean Execution
The series numbers show how much Colorado has pushed and how little it has converted. The Avalanche have outshot the Golden Knights 68-53, yet they have only three goals in the series from Gabriel Landeskog, Ross Colton and Valeri Nichushkin. Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas have been neutralized, and Brock Nelson is minus-5.
Bednar said, “We’ve got to be better than we were in Game 1 and 2.” He also said, “It’s not like we didn’t go and compete hard or play harder, but again, with it being such a fine line, a mistake or two can cost you the hockey game.” Colorado needs cleaner work in front of both nets if it is going to make the game feel different from the first two.
Vegas History Looms
The road history is brutal. Since 1982, teams that have gone 2-0 in the conference finals have owned a 13-0 series record, according to NHL Stats. Colorado has seen enough swing in this matchup to know a fast turn is possible, though Vegas already erased a 2-0 deficit against the Avalanche in 2021.
Colorado also went 2-0 at Vegas in the regular season, including a 6-5 shootout victory, so there is at least one recent building where the Avalanche have handled the ice. Logan O’Connor called it an “Uphill climb,” and said, “It’s on us (to get out).” Scott Wedgewood said, “We have to flip the script on them, in their rink.”
For Colorado, the immediate answer to is makar playing tonight still runs through Makar himself. Until he is ready, Bednar will keep the decision where he put it, and the Avalanche will have to try to cut a 2-0 series deficit without their top blue-liner.
