Aarif Deen
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson made the road trip with the team to Minnesota ahead of Game 3.
More importantly, depth defenseman Jack Ahcan did not. That means the Avs are traveling with just seven defenseman. If Manson wasn’t going to play, they’d be cutting it close with just six healthy blueliners on the road, without a call up just up the road in Loveland.
“We feel good about it, that’s why Jack’s not here,” head coach Jared Bednar said when he was asked if Manson could play in Minnesota.
The veteran blueliner has spent large parts of the season and postseason on a pair with Brent Burns. At times it was the second-most used pair, but lately its been the third pair, as Brett Kulak and Sam Malinski have created a formidable option for Bednar in the top four.
Manson has missed the last three games with an upper-body injury he sustained in Game 3 in Los Angeles two weeks ago. Nick Blankenburg has drawn in since Manson’s ailment.