Avalanche release discouraging update for Game 4

The good news for the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche is that they're in control of their opening round postseason series against the Seattle Kraken, having rebounded from a stunning Game 1 loss to rattle off two straight wins and grab the series advantage.

The bad news is that they're going to be shorthanded once again for tonight's critical Game 4, as news was released yesterday that forward Valeri Nichushkin has left the team due to, as they put it, "personal reasons". Nichushkin didn't play in Game 3, having been designated a late scratch, and was reported to have gone to the airpot and departed Seattle.

"That's the information I had at the time," Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said. "It was a maintenance day, and then he left for personal reasons. If he was around or could be around, then he would be available to play."

During the team morning skate earlier today at Climate Pledge Arena, Nichushkin was absent.

It appears as though if the Avalanche are to take a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Kraken, they'll have to do so once again without their valuable Russian forward.

Game 4 between the two teams is tonight starting at 10:00 PM EST.

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