The Colorado Avalanche stepped onto the ice for Game 4 looking nothing like the top team in the league. Nathan MacKinnon is playing. Cale Makar is also playing. Both of them are clearly hurt, and Martin Necas just left the game after getting hit by Tomas Hertl.
There was no penalty called for the hit on Hertl. The video was quickly shared by B/R Open Ice. The impact looked worse than what the referee decided.
Now, there are three important players hurt in the same playoff series. MacKinnon took a shot to the body in Game 3 and limped off. Makar has been dealing with his own injury for several days.
Necas is now added to the list of injury worries. The 27-year-old just finished the regular season with 100 points, scoring 38 goals and adding 62 assists while earning $6.5 million.
His playoff performance is just as impressive: he has 11 points in 11 games, including 10 assists. The second line for the Avalanche struggles without him as their center.
Why playing through injuries might hurt Colorado in this series
MacKinnon took to the ice for Game 4. He doesn’t seem like his usual self. Makar is back as well, but he looks a bit more careful than usual. The way they are performing shows that they are struggling.
Jared Bednar decided to let both of them play. The captain wanted to be there. The top defender wanted to be active. However, that doesn’t mean they should have played.
Colorado had an amazing regular season, finishing first overall with a record of 55 wins, 16 losses, and 11 ties for a total of 121 points and a goal differential of plus-99. This success relied on those three key players being fully healthy each game.
What does general manager Chris MacFarland think about having his top players at only 75 percent? He probably isn’t saying anything publicly. The Avalanche are letting the trainers handle the situation.
To be honest, this is the point in playoff hockey where being tough can actually backfire. Coming back from being hurt seems brave until your team starts losing because those players can’t keep up with the game.
John Tortorella’s team isn’t going to feel bad about making the most of things. Vegas ended the regular season with 7 wins, 0 losses, and 3 ties in their last 10 games. They’ve been the hottest team in the Western Conference for quite some time.
The Avalanche are taking risks. Bednar is taking risks. MacKinnon and Makar are also taking risks. The hope is that these stars, even if they are not at full strength, are still better than having no stars on the team at all.
This series doesn’t stop for updates on injuries. The list of injured players keeps getting longer. From now on, the scoreboard will tell the story.
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