Josh Manson Still Being Evaluated; Is the Avalanche’s PP An Issue?

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesJayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Colorado Avalanche are getting a much-needed day off on Friday. Following their 4-2 Game 3 victory at Crypto.com Arena the previous night, the Avalanche became the only team in the Western Conference to grab a 3-0 series lead. They’ll have an opportunity to close out a first-round sweet against the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday.

Two of the more pressing stories coming out of the first three games — and Game 3 specifically — are the lack of power-play goals, and an injury to one of their defensemen.

Veteran blueliner Josh Manson left Thursday’s game with an upper-body injury after getting staples along the Kings’ bench by Joel Edmundson. He hit the top of the boards awkwardly, with his midsection ribs area catching the brunt of the impact in an area with little protection.

Manson left late in the first period. He returned in the second after missing a few shifts but that didn’t last long. Manson played a 36-second long shift in the second, which resulted in a goal against and a minor penalty for high-sticking at the conclusion of the play.

He served his two minutes in the box, and upon exiting, he skated right to the Avs’ bench, got off the ice, went to the room and did not return.

Head coach Jared Bednar was asked about Manson’s status on Friday during a media call and said he’s still being reevaluated. The team should know more on Saturday, when they presumably take the ice for practice ahead of a matinee puck drop in L.A. on Sunday.

If Manson is unable to dress, we’ll likely see the playoff debut of defenseman Nick Blankenburg, who the Avs acquired from the Nashville Predators ahead of the trade deadline.