The Colorado Avalanche faced a huge blow ahead of their playoff game against the Seattle Kraken as their team physician found an intoxicated woman in Valeri Nichushkin’s hotel room, according to reports from The Athletic (theathletic.com). The incident was reported prior to Game 3, and Nichushkin has since disappeared from the Avalanche’s playoff series. The incident was allegedly alcohol-related, and the woman had to be transported to the hospital, as per CBS Sports (cbssports.com). According to ESPN’s post-match coverage (espn.com), the Avalanche defeated the Kraken 4-1 in Game 6, taking the series to a Game 7 decider, and the absence of Nichushkin was felt as the team struggled to make their mark against the Kraken.
Reports suggest that Nichushkin’s agent denied any involvement and that the player himself has not been charged with any wrongdoing, with the incident being treated as a “woman in distress call,” as per New York Post (nypost.com). However, with the decisive playoff game against the Kraken looming, the Avalanche will have to overcome these off-ice issues to advance in the postseason. USA Today’s Sportsbook Wire (usatoday.com) provides betting tips and insights ahead of the series-deciding Game 7, predicting a tense and closely contested match.
The defending Stanley Cup champions will hope to bounce back from the recent incident with Artturi Lehkonen leading the way with a brace in Game 6, according to Longview News-Journal (news-journal.com). The Avalanche’s superstar Nichushkin is likely to return to the lineup for the crunch game, with fans hoping for his return to form. The Rink Live (therinklive.com) reported that the Kraken took a 3-2 series lead and edged the Avalanche in Game 5, but the Avalanche bounced back in Game 6, ready to face the do-or-die Game 7 in front of their home fans.
Fans of the Colorado Avalanche can catch the game live on Wednesday night, with Sports Illustrated (si.com) providing information on how to watch the game, including streaming options and TV channels. With the Avalanche one game away from being eliminated from the first round of the playoffs, fans and analysts alike will be watching the game with bated breath to see if the team can progress or if they will disappoint their fans. As the puck drops in what promises to be a decisive game, the fate of the Avalanche against the Kraken rests on the prowess and teamwork of the players.
