Aarif Deen
Colorado Avalanche superstar center Nathan MacKinnon left Game 3 late in the second period on Sunday and did not return to start the third. He eventually showed up on the bench after missing a few shifts and took the ice 3:20 into the period. He looked like he was laboring and wasn’t taking regular shifts after that, but remained on the bench.
MacKinnon blocked a shot in the second period that hit him on the side of the knee. He was in a considerable amount of pain as the officials blew the play dead to help him off the ice. After getting assistance from teammates to get up, MacKinnon skated to the bench on his own.
He remained there and played two more shifts, totaling just 48 seconds, before limping back down the room late in the second period.
The Avs led 3-0 at the first intermission but gave up three goals in the second, along with losing MacKinnon.