Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar both left the Colorado Avalanche’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators on Thursday, November 12, with lower-body injuries.
The Avalanche announced during the game that neither player would return.
MacKinnon departed with 8:15 remaining in the second period after a battle with Ottawa defenceman Artem Zub, while Makar left with 5:20 left in the period after appearing to favour his right leg.
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Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar leave in the second period
MacKinnon appeared to grab at his right side after contact with Zub and stayed on the bench briefly before heading to the dressing room.
The 31-year-old centre had one shot and played 11:33 before exiting.
Makar’s injury appeared to occur on a play with limited contact.
He briefly returned for a short shift, but left again and did not play the rest of the game.
His departure came several days after he had left an Avalanche practice early for precautionary reasons.
No diagnosis beyond lower-body injuries was announced immediately after the game, and Colorado coach Jared Bednar did not provide a timetable for either player’s return.
What happened in the 4-3 overtime loss
Ottawa built a 2-0 lead through goals from Shane Pinto and Tim Stützle before Artturi Lehkonen cut the deficit late in the second period.
Parker Kelly tied the game with a short-handed goal early in the third, and Gabriel Landeskog put Colorado ahead with a power-play goal at 10:03 of the period.
Drake Batherson forced overtime for Ottawa with 3:56 remaining in regulation.
Pinto then scored his second goal of the night at 2:08 of overtime after intercepting a pass from Parker Kelly and beating Colorado goaltender Scott Wedgewood from the slot, according to the Senators’ official game recap.
The result gave Ottawa a 12-6-2 record and extended the Senators’ current run to three wins and one overtime loss in their past four games.
Colorado moved to 11-6-3 and earned one point despite playing the final period without its top forward and top defenceman.
Why the injuries matter for Colorado
MacKinnon entered the game with 30 points, including 10 goals and 20 assists, in 20 games.
Makar had 23 points, including five goals and 18 assists, in 19 games.
They were Colorado’s leading and third-leading scorers, respectively, and both were central to the club’s power play and transition game.
MacKinnon’s absence would affect Colorado’s first-line centre role, top power-play unit and overall offensive pace.
Makar’s absence would create an even larger challenge on defence, where he handles major minutes in all situations and drives much of the team’s puck movement.
Colorado managed to score twice on special teams after the two stars left.
Lehkonen scored on the power play, while Kelly’s short-handed goal helped the Avalanche recover from the early deficit.
When the Avalanche play next
The Avalanche are scheduled to visit the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, November 14, at 7 p.m. Eastern time.
The game is the next opportunity for Colorado to assess whether MacKinnon or Makar can return, although the team had not announced their availability as of Friday morning.
Colorado will need to issue further updates before the Montreal game if either player is placed on injured reserve, ruled out, or cleared to play.
Until then, the confirmed information is limited to the lower-body injury designation and the fact that neither player finished Thursday’s game.
What to watch for in the next update
- Whether either player participates in Colorado’s pre-game skate in Montreal.
- Whether the Avalanche provide a more specific diagnosis or recovery timeline.
- How Colorado reorganizes its top power-play and defensive pairings if one or both players miss time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What injuries did Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar suffer?
Both Colorado players were listed with lower-body injuries after leaving the Avalanche’s game against Ottawa. No more specific diagnosis or recovery timeline had been announced immediately afterward.
When did MacKinnon leave the game?
MacKinnon left with 8:15 remaining in the second period after contact with Ottawa defenceman Artem Zub.
When did Cale Makar leave the game?
Makar left with 5:20 remaining in the second period. He briefly returned for a short shift before leaving again.
Did the Avalanche win against Ottawa?
No. Ottawa defeated Colorado 4-3 in overtime, with Shane Pinto scoring his second goal of the game at 2:08 of overtime.
When do the Avalanche play next?
Colorado is scheduled to play the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at 7 p.m. Eastern time.
Fact-Checked: Key injury, game-result, player-statistic and schedule details were checked against NHL and team information.
Disclaimer: Injury diagnoses and return timelines can change as the Avalanche release further medical updates.