Following a 5-3 defeat to the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final, Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar and defenseman Cale Makar shared their candid thoughts.
The Avalanche initially secured a 3-0 advantage in the first period, but the Golden Knights staged a dramatic comeback, overturning the deficit with strong gameplay to ultimately secure the win. As the game went on, Colorado struggled to maintain their early momentum.
Addressing the team’s morale post-game, coach Jared Bednar remarked:
“Everyone is down and in the dumps right now. Like I said, that is what the next 36 hours are for — to get our team back to where our focus is in the right place. It seems like a tough hill to climb, clearly — especially against a team like Vegas. You just got to break it down: shift by shift, five by five, period by period, game by game,” Bednar said.
Returning for Game 3 after recovering from an injury, Cale Makar expressed his disappointment:
“It is frustrating. We have been on the other side of that, obviously — coming back from deficits — and it is going to happen, but it cannot happen at this time of the year. Like I said, I felt like they got some lucky bounces, but we have to find a better way to challenge ourselves in those moments and come out of them,” Makar said.
Nathan MacKinnon’s availability for Game 4 remains uncertain
During Game 3 against the Vegas Golden Knights, Nathan MacKinnon sustained a knee injury.
The injury took place in the second period when MacKinnon went down on one knee to block a slap shot in the defensive zone, taking a hit to the right knee. He left the ice to visit the locker room, returned briefly for a couple of shifts late in the second period, but did not start the third period, playing only limited shifts.
After the game, Bednar provided no update on the severity of MacKinnon’s injury, and there is uncertainty surrounding his participation in Game 4 on Tuesday.
Also Read: Avs fans go ballistic after Avalanche squander 3-0 lead in Game 3 loss to Golden Knights
Edited by Abhishek Dilta
