Nathan MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche will not remember Game 3 of the 2026 Western Conference Finals too fondly.
A blown 3-0 lead in a 5-3 regulation loss puts their season on the line, down 3-0 in the series, and in the midst of it all, MacKinnon took a Shea Theodore slapshot to the side of the knee and could barely move the rest of the night.
His status for a do-or-die Game 4 is now very much in question, but his Avalanche teammates know their superstar center is as competitive as they come and will do everything in his power to suit up on Tuesday night.
Defenseman Josh Manson said on Monday:
“Listen, that’s one of my favorite things about playing with Dogg (MacKinnon) is that regular season, playoffs—doesn’t matter what it is—he’s a tough, tough guy, competitor. Like I know whatever happens to him, if he can’t go, it’s because he cannot go. He will do everything in his power to play and to stay in the game to help our team win. That’s just the type of player he is. And I think that’s one of the biggest reasons why I love following him as a leader. It’s just that I know I’m getting everything that he’s got to play,”
The 30-year-old MacKinnon leads Colorado in scoring this postseason, having tallied 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) through 12 games played so far.
Given the way MacKinnon was laboring through the few shifts he took in the third period of Game 3, it’s fair to wonder whether it would be best for him—and the team—to insert a fresh, healthy body.
That said, as Manson mentioned, MacKinnon is the heart and soul of the Avalanche, so if he’s able to go, you know he’ll be out there in a game that Colorado has to win to extend its season.
