LAS VEGAS – Jared Bednar is content to keep people guessing about the status of Cale Makar heading into Game 3 Sunday against Vegas.
The Avalanche did not skate Sunday morning, nor did the team practise Saturday, keeping the mystery alive over the injured blue liner who is arguably the most important player in a series he has yet to play in.
In a matchup with razor-thin margins that has seen the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Avs fall down 2-0 to the Golden Knights, Colorado could certainly use his help offensively — especially on the power play, where he has been sorely missed at key times in both losses.
Makar sits second in team goal scoring this spring with four goals, but hasn’t played since Game 5 against Minnesota when a blast to his shoulder clearly stung him, sending him down the tunnel. He returned for overtime, but hasn’t played since.
“You’ve got to play your game, and you’re going to get a few extra minutes,” said Devon Toews, when asked how his team has to adjust without their top minute-man in the lineup.
“We’re gonna be spread out a little bit differently but that’s why we’ve got depth back there. We’re confident with the guys we’ve got and it’s just on us to get the job done and limit their chances and go help on the offensive side, as well.”
Bednar said he simply needs more from the rest of his back end than he’s seen in Games 1 and 2.
“Obviously Cale helps in so many different areas. You can’t just put a new guy in the lineup and replace him, but you can make sure that you’re focused and prepared to play your very best game,” he said.
“I don’t think that’s happened with that group on the back end for the first two nights, especially mostly in the puck management, efficient puck-moving out of the d-zone, neutral zone, no big turnovers. It’s an area I expect them to be better at tonight.”
The puck drops just after 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Sunday (Sportsnet, Sportsnet+), meaning all eyes will be on warmups an hour beforehand to see if he’ll try to play through the injury.
Bednar did confirm that Josh Manson, who was shaken up after colliding awkwardly into the boards in Game 2, will play.
The Avalanche have rotated goalies without hesitation this season, begging questions as to whether Bednar will make the switch from Scott Wedgewood to Mackenzie Blackwood for Game 3.
Not because he has struggled, but because he’s lost both games.
Wedgewood was playing so well in Game 2 that he was in line to be the first star until he was beaten with two great shots in the final 10 minutes that went in off the post and led to the 3-1 loss.
When asked for his starter on Sunday, Bednar refused to comment.
However, on Saturday he addressed the issue somewhat.
“I won’t talk about like decisions in the lineup, but I thought Wedge gave us a chance to win,” said Bednar.
“Would I love to see him come up with one of those at the end? Sure, but I think he played a solid game, and we’ve got to find a way to score more than one on most nights to probably win this. But I think that the end of the day we needed one more save to like keep giving ourselves a chance.”
Wedgewood has started nine of their 11 playoff games, sporting a 2.30 GAA and .912 save percentage.
He has played both games in this series, and has allowed just five goals. But in a series this tight, the difference is the fact Carter Hart has been a smidge better, allowing just three goals.
Logan O’Connor said the Avs’ confidence hasn’t waned, despite the pair of gut punches they received in Denver to open the Western Conference Final.
“It stung there right off the bat, especially the moments after the game, but once the clock turns midnight you just try and learn from it, forget about it, move on,” said the Avs forward.
“We still have tons of belief in our locker room, not that we’re owed anything, but we won the Presidents’ Trophy for a reason, we’ve been a great road team all year for a reason, and it’s on us to go there and fight for our lives. We still have tons of belief in our room that we can come through.”
Each of the last five seasons there has been at least one instance of a team coming back to win a series it trailed 2-0 in. In 2025, both the Edmonton Oilers (First Round) and Florida Panthers (Second Round) did it. In 2024, the Dallas Stars accomplished the feat in the First Round, which was the last instance of an NHL team winning a series after dropping Games 1 and 2 at home. The 2021-22 Tampa Bay Lightning were the last club to advance to the Stanley Cup Final after trailing 2-0 in the conference final.
Jared Bednar will become the 31st head coach to be behind the bench for 100 postseason games and the 12th to coach 100 with the same franchise. The Yorkton, Sask. native enters Game 3 with a 60-38-1 record over his first 99 contests, and will trail only Glen Sather (69), Toe Blake (68) and Mike Babcock (62) for the most playoff wins in NHL history through his first 100 games as a head coach.
Landeskog – MacKinnon – Necas
Lehkonen – Nelson – Roy
Colton – Kadri – Nichuskin
Kelly – Drury – O’Connor
Toews – Malinski
Burns – Manson
Kulak – Blankenburg
Unsure if starter will be Wedgewood or Blackwood
Barbashev – Eichel – Dorofeyev
Howden – Karlsson – Marner
Saad – Hertl – Sissons
Smith – Dowd – Kolesar
McNabb – Theodore
Hanifin – Andersson
Korczak – Coghlan
