Avalanche get defenseman Cale Makar back, survive scare with Nathan MacKinnon, and still lose Game 3

LAS VEGAS (AP) — In a roller coaster of a Sunday for the Colorado Avalanche, they welcomed their defensive star back in time for Game 3 of the Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights, survived a scare with their biggest offensive name before losing another, and squandered a first-period three-goal lead en route to a 5-3 loss.

Vegas scored five unanswered goals to push the Avalanche to the brink of elimination. One more win and Vegas returns to the Stanley Cup Final for the second time in four years, and third time in the franchise’s nine-year existence.

It would also mark the 13th straight season the Presidents’ Trophy recipient — the team with the most regular-season points — failed to win the Stanley Cup.

Colorado defenseman Cale Makar returned to the ice after missing the first two games with an upper-body injury he suffered in Game 5 of the conference semifinals against the Minnesota Wild.

Leading scorer Nathan MacKinnon fought through an injury sustained in the second period, and forward Valeri Nichushkin was lost with an injury and finished with just 8:34 of playing time.

“You lose Nate and Val … so you’re running a shorter bench, and you’re just doing the best you can to try and create a chance to win the hockey game,” said Avalanche coach Jared Bednar, who didn’t have an update on either forward. “I don’t know, how do you navigate it? You just put your head down (and) keep working. You got three different lines or two different lines, and spot shift in your 10th guy to try and give some guys a break; not ideal circumstances for sure.”

Vegas had taken advantage of Makar’s absence, winning the first two games of the series. But with the two-time Norris Trophy winner back in the lineup, all things were seemingly headed in Colorado’s direction, as it was the Avalanche who came out swinging with three first-period goals to stun the announced crowd of 18,212.

But, after Vegas tied the game with three straight goals of its own, MacKinnon left late in the second period after taking a blistering slapshot to the side of his left knee. MacKinnon took two shifts after blocking Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore’s shot but, clearly in pain, went down to the locker room with 3:36 left in the period.

“It’s tough, he sells out for a shot block, and unfortunately, it’s obviously because of a bad turnover from us,” Makar said about MacKinnon. “And then just giving them those opportunities in the first place, so (that) shouldn’t happen. But obviously an amazing block there.”

MacKinnon, who had an assist in the first period and leads Colorado with 15 points this postseason, was back on the ice in the third period but finished with just 18:02 time on ice. The 2024 Hart Trophy winner was averaging more than 21 minutes of playing time through the team’s first 11 games.

“Everyone’s down in the dumps right now,” Bednar said. “That’s in the next 36 hours … to get our team back to where our focus is in the right place, and seems like a tough hill to climb — especially against a team like Vegas.”

Vegas welcomed back a key figure, as captain Mark Stone returned to the lineup after missing the last five games. Stone exited Game 3 of Vegas’ conference semifinal series with the Anaheim Ducks with a lower-body injury. Stone finished with a goal and an assist in Vegas’ win on Sunday.

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This story has been corrected to show it would be the 13th straight season a Presidents’ Trophy recipient failed to win the Stanley Cup instead of 15th.

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