Avalanche Lose MacKinnon and Makar to Injuries as Birthday Boy Shane Pinto Wins It for Ottawa in Overtime, 4-3

The Colorado Avalanche lost far more than a hockey game in Ottawa on Thursday night. Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, two of the sport's brightest stars, both left in the second period with lower-body injuries, and Shane Pinto scored his second goal of the night at 2:08 of overtime to give the Ottawa Senators a 4-3 win ^[1][2].

Pinto did it on his 26th birthday, intercepting a pass in the Colorado zone and beating goalie Scott Wedgewood with a wrist shot, The Associated Press reported ^[4]. Ottawa improved to 12-6-2 and has earned points in four straight games, while Colorado fell to 11-6-3, third in the Central Division ^[1][2].

Two Stars Head Down the Tunnel

MacKinnon's last shift ended with 8:15 left in the second period. He tried to reverse-hit Senators defenseman Artem Zub, grabbed his right side, stayed on the bench for a few minutes and then went to the locker room, according to NHL.com ^[2]. ESPN reported that he went to his knees holding his right hip after being shoved by Zub in a battle for the puck ^[3].

Makar had been hurt moments earlier, the AP reported ^[4]. He took a four-second shift midway through the period and headed to the locker room, returned for one 23-second shift and then did not come back, NHL.com reported ^[2]. ESPN said he appeared to be favoring his right leg in what looked like a non-contact injury ^[3]. The timing is worrisome: NHL.com noted that Makar had left practice early on Sunday for what the team called precautionary reasons ^[2].

Coach Jared Bednar had no update on either player after the game and was not sure whether either would be ready for Saturday's game in Montreal, ESPN reported ^[3]. Captain Gabriel Landeskog spoke for the room. "Obviously, they're two of the best players in the world," he said, according to NHL.com ^[2].

The losses would be hard for any team to absorb. MacKinnon entered the night fifth in the NHL with 30 points, including 10 goals, and Makar, a two-time Norris Trophy winner, ranked third among the league's defensemen with 23 points ^[2][3].

A Gritty Comeback Falls Short

Ottawa jumped out early. Pinto blocked a Brent Burns shot, won a race up the ice and scored five-hole at 7:11 of the first period, and Tim Stutzle backhanded a puck past Wedgewood at 13:13 after Fabian Zetterlund won a battle behind the net ^[1].

Even without its stars, Colorado pushed back. Artturi Lehkonen scored on the power play at 18:04 of the second to cut the lead to 2-1, Parker Kelly tied it with a short-handed goal at 3:54 of the third, and Landeskog put the Avalanche ahead on a power play at 10:03, set up by Brock Nelson ^[1].

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Drake Batherson answered with 3:56 left in regulation, poking in a rebound in the crease for his 10th goal of the season ^[1][4]. Linus Ullmark made 26 saves for Ottawa in his first game back after missing nine games with a lower-body injury, and Wedgewood stopped 22 shots ^[1].

Bednar called it a gutsy effort from his group and said he would take it, NHL.com reported ^[1].

Connor's Take

Hockey has always prized the player who shows up for the next shift, and Colorado's response on Thursday was the definition of that. Down two goals and two superstars, the Avalanche scored three straight and nearly stole the game. That is a credit to Bednar's leadership and to a veteran core that refuses to make excuses.

Still, nobody in Denver should pretend this is a small matter. A team can survive a week without one of its stars. Losing both for any length of time, during a four-game road trip, is a different test.

Elsewhere Thursday, and What Comes Next

The schedule offers no soft landing. Colorado plays at Montreal on Saturday and finishes its road trip at Utah on Wednesday ^[2][5]. The Canadiens are rolling: they won 5-2 in Boston on Thursday to stretch their point streak to 12 games and move atop the Atlantic Division, with Jacob Fowler making 30 saves ^[6].

Around the league, the Winnipeg Jets routed Dallas 8-3 for their fifth straight win after a nine-game skid, Sebastian Aho scored twice in his home country as Carolina beat Seattle 4-1 in Helsinki, and Florida rallied from three goals down to beat Detroit 5-4 as Sam Reinhart scored his 200th goal as a Panther ^[6]. Ottawa visits Pittsburgh on Saturday ^[4]. In Colorado, everyone will be waiting on the medical news.