Jared Bednar said Wednesday that Artturi Lehkonen and Sam Malinski could possibly return for Game 5 against the Minnesota Wild, giving the Avalanche a chance to get two more regulars back for a matchup that could send them to the Western Conference Final.
Lehkonen and Malinski were ruled out about 40 minutes before puck drop on Monday night before Game 4 because of upper-body injuries, even after both skated at morning skate in St. Paul. Joel Kiviranta and Jack Ahcan filled in, and Colorado responded with a 5-2 win to move ahead three games to one in the second-round series.
Bednar gave the update after morning skate at Ball Arena, saying only that the pair might be available. The Avalanche were scheduled to take the ice for pregame warmups around 5:30 p.m. MT on Wednesday to make the final call.
The timing matters because Colorado is one win away from ending the series and reaching the Western Conference Final for the first time since 2022. Lehkonen has six points in seven playoff games, with three goals and three assists, while Malinski has one goal and two assists in those same seven games.
Josh Manson also returned from an injury in Game 4, giving Colorado another piece back as the postseason grind tightens. The Wild still face a late push, but the Avalanche’s margin for error is now simple: win Wednesday, and the series is over.
What remains unsettled is whether Bednar will have to make another lineup choice at the last minute or whether Lehkonen and Malinski will be ready when warmups begin. For Colorado, that answer could shape not just Game 5, but the path into the next round.
