Avalanche’s Cale Makar Out for Game 2 of Western Conference Final with Injury

The Colorado Avalanche will face a significant challenge in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final as they will be without their star defenseman, Cale Makar, due to an upper-body injury. Makar, who also missed Game 1, participated in skating and shooting drills on Friday morning but was ultimately ruled out by head coach Jared Bednar ahead of the crucial matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights, who lead the series 1-0 following a 4-2 victory.

“It hurts when you don’t have Makar, but every team is going through (injuries),” Bednar acknowledged, referencing the absence of Vegas captain Mark Stone. “Our goal is to be the best version of ourselves we can be tonight, and that’s without Cale, and so be it. I still think we’re capable of winning the hockey game if we’re better than we were the other night.”

Makar’s injury appears to have stemmed from a physical Game 5 last week against Minnesota, where he left the ice momentarily after appearing to injure his right arm but returned to play. He also briefly exited Game 1 after a hard hit along the boards sent his right leg into the air before crashing to the ice.

While Bednar has not confirmed who will step in for Makar, possibilities include Jack Ahcan, who played in Game 1, or Nick Blankenburg, a recent acquisition from Nashville. Alex Gagne is also in contention for the lineup.

Throughout the first two rounds of the playoffs, Makar has been a pivotal player, contributing four goals and an assist while averaging nearly 25 minutes on the ice. As a Norris Trophy finalist, he plays a key role in both the Avalanche’s defensive strategies and special teams.

Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson spoke about the mental aspect of competing without Makar, stating, “I don’t think when you’re playing you can think about it. I think that’s a hindrance. Going into it, obviously, you hope he’s playing. I don’t think anybody can ever stand up here and say, ‘Oh, I hope he’s not playing.’ I mean, he’s a generational player. I don’t think you want to think about it. I think you’ve just got to keep playing.”

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.