The Colorado Avalanche will try once again to win the Stanley Cup when they face the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 on Sunday night in Tampa. Ahead of the clash, Jared Bednar revealed some troubling injury updates to a slew of key Avs attackers. Via Peter Baugh, among the notable absences from Colorado's Sunday morning skate were Valeri Nichushkin, Gabriel Landeskog, and Nazem Kadri, and Bednar provided updates for the trio of attacking stars:
Maintenance for Nichushkin, Kadri, Landeskog. “We’ll see” on Burakovsky, Bednar says. https://t.co/jFjDqp9rcP
— Peter Baugh (@Peter_Baugh) June 26, 2022
Bednar described the absence of Nichushkin, Landeskog, and Kadri from the morning skate as being maintenance-related, indicating all three players are dealing with some type of injury. While he didn't provide much more of an update on Landeskog or Kadri, he did reveal that Nichushkin is dealing with a lower-body injury, though the team is “hoping he'll play” on Sunday:
Bednar on Nichushkin: “We’re hoping he’ll play.” He’s dealing with something lower-body.
— Peter Baugh (@Peter_Baugh) June 26, 2022
It's likely that Kadri's injury maintenance relates to his hand, on which he recently had a procedure following an injury sustained in the Western Conference Finals. Kadri made a swift return after undergoing surgery to repair his thumb, stemming from a dirty hit from the Edmonton Oilers' Evander Kane. The star forward missed the first three games of the Stanley Cup Final against the Lightning, but he has featured in each of the past two games.
As for Landeskog, it's unclear what injury he's dealing with. He missed the end of the regular season after undergoing knee surgery in March but was able to return for the playoffs.
The Avalanche hold a 3-2 lead in the Stanley Cup Final over the Lightning and can clinch the series with a win on the road on Sunday night. Having the trio of attacking stars, and potentially even Andre Burakovsky, in the lineup in Game 6 will be crucial for Colorado.
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