Stanley Cup Final
Colorado Avalanche Gameday: Nichushkin Limping
Game 6 for the Colorado Avalanche tonight, and maybe it’s time to worry a little about Valeri Nichushkin.
Valeri Nichushkin had a noticeable limp walking into Amalie Arena this morning.
Jared Bednar, on Nichushkin's availability for Game 6: "Yeah we're hoping he's in tonight."
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) June 26, 2022
Val Nichushkin hobbling pretty hard out of the arena. Did not skate this morning, but Jared Bednar said โyeah weโre hoping heโs going to be in tonight,โ behind a signature laugh. #GoAvsGo #9sports pic.twitter.com/9xclNiUXHR
— Arielle Orsuto (@ArielleOrsuto) June 26, 2022
Hmmm. That’s not good. Don’t panic just yet though. Jared Bednar also described, to the media room, that it was a maintenance thing with Big Val. Same with other guys who weren’t out there this morning, guys like Nazem Kadri and Gabe Landeskog.
When exactly did Nichushkin get hurt in Game 5? Nobody seems too sure. It’s obviously to the lower body, whatever it is. Keep one thing in mind too: skating with an injury can be different than walking with an injury. Because, you’re gliding more, not putting as much bodyweight on it than you do when walking.
The Colorado Avalanche are going to have a play perhaps a safer, more conservative game than they’d like. Especially if Nichushkin (or Andre Burakovsky) can’t play. We’re going to just have to wait until the lineup sheets come out. Burakovsky is on the trip and skated this morning, but Bednar wouldn’t say if he’s in or not.
Avs are -113 favorites to win at SuperBook Colorado. We’re pretty surprised by those odds actually. This is going to be a tough, tough game. But maybe this will be the night.
See you tonight.