Corey Masisak just reported that Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar will not play tonight when the Avalanche visit the Canadiens.
That is the biggest hit Colorado could take on a one-game basis. Makar's night in Ottawa ended early on Thursday, and both stars had been listed day-to-day heading into this one.
Masisak put it plainly in his post, saying the two Avalanche stars will sit out against Montreal.
-
We told you about the concern before this game. Chris Johnston's worry over Makar and MacKinnon came earlier today, and it now looks justified. Neither player's injury status is detailed beyond the day-to-day tag, and the report doesn't say what is keeping MacKinnon out.
Colorado loses its top forward and its top defenseman in the same game. MacKinnon has 30 points in 20 games, and Makar has 23 points in 19 games from the blue line.
The timing makes it harder. The Avalanche are coming off a 4-3 overtime loss in Ottawa on Thursday, and now they walk into a building where the Canadiens are 8-0-2 over their last 10.
Can the Avalanche survive Montreal without their two best players?
It's a tall mountain, and the numbers back that up. Montreal is 12-4-0 at the top of this matchup on paper, 6th in the NHL, and just beat Boston 5-2 on Thursday.
Correction on that record: the Canadiens are 12-3-4 in 19 games, with 28 points. They are 2nd in the Atlantic Division, and they carry a +10 goal differential into tonight.
Colorado is 11-6-3, sits 3rd in the Central Division, and has a +18 goal differential. That cushion is real, and it's why the Avalanche are not a team to write off, even shorthanded. But the road record of 4-5-1 doesn't help.
Jared Bednar now has to reshuffle his top six and his blue line on the fly. Power-play time is the first spot where it hurts: MacKinnon has 3 power-play goals and 5 power-play assists this season, and Makar has 6 power-play assists.
We think the Avalanche steal a point at best tonight. The bigger question is how long this lasts, because Colorado has not said anything about either player beyond tonight's absence. We'll keep tabs on any update on their status after the game.
This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.
How will the Avalanche fare in Montreal without MacKinnon and Makar?
Also read on Markerzone.com:
Elliotte Friedman sheds light on Maple Leafs trade in the works
