Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon nursing injury ahead of playoffs

Nathan MacKinnon is nursing an injury and could miss the Colorado Avalanche‘s final three regular-season games as a result.

Head coach Jared Bednar said that MacKinnon will not play in Thursday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks. When asked if the Avalanche’s leading scorer would play in their final two games this weekend, the coach replied, “Probably not.”

No specifics about the injury were given.

The Avalanche will close the regular season on Sunday, a full week before the playoffs begin on April 19.

MacKinnon is tied with Nikita Kucherov in the Art Ross Trophy race with 116 points, including an NHL-best 84 assists.

The Avalanche will almost certainly finish third in the Central Division and face either the Dallas Stars or Winnipeg Jets in the first round.

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