Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon left Sunday’s Game 3 matchup with the Vegas Golden Knights with an apparent injury.
MacKinnon sustained the injury midway through the second period after blocking a slapshot from Golden Knights defenceman Shea Theodore.
The 6-foot centre was in considerable pain but was able to get back to the bench.
He took two more shifts after blocking the shot, one for 32 seconds and the other for 16 seconds before going down the tunnel to the locker room to get looked at.
The Avalanche had a 3-2 lead at the time of the blocked shot but the Golden Knights tied the game 3-3 by the time he left the game.
MacKinnon skated 13:57 prior to exiting, recording an assist, three shots and two hits. He was not on the bench to begin the third period but returned three minutes into the frame.
The Cole Habour, N.S., native has seven goals and 15 points in 12 games during the Avalanche’s run to the Western Conference Final. He registered 53 goals and 127 points in 80 games during the regular season.
Colorado trails the Golden Knights 2-0 in the series and are in danger of falling to a commanding 3-0 deficit.
Only four teams have comeback from down 3-0 with the last being the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the San Jose Sharks.
