Already down 2-0 in the best-of-seven Western Conference finals, the question of the day for the Colorado Avalanche heading into Game 3 against the Vegas Golden Knights is whether star defenseman Cale Makar be on the ice Sunday night in Las Vegas.

Colorado coach Jared Bednar, accused by some of throwing his two-time Norris Trophy winner under the bus after a 3-1 home loss in Game 2, still couldn’t give a straight answer to that question after his team’s practice on Saturday morning.

When asked if Makar, hampered by an upper-body injury sustained in the team’s second-round series against Minnesota, had been cleared by the team’s medical staff to play, Bednar once again responded it would be Makar’s decision whether to play or not.

“He’s dealing with an injury, obviously, and he’s been in the gym strengthening and testing it on the ice,” Bednar said. “Cale is the only person that knows when he’s good enough to play. That’s why it’s his decision.

“We know what the injury is. We know what he’s dealing with. We know that we’re going to expect him back at some point, but you’ve got to get to a level of being comfortable with what you’re dealing with and the pain tolerance. And depending on what you’re dealing with, he will tell us when he’s ready to play. So it’s really as simple as that.”

Avalanche fans got their hopes up for his return for Friday’s game when Makar was filmed taking part in the morning skate, including some shifts with the team’s top power-play unit. But Makar, who had 79 points (20 goals, 59 assists) in 75 regular-season games, missed his second straight contest.

Colorado definitely could have used their shifty quarterback of its power-play unit. The Avalanche failed to garner even one shot on goal in two power-play chances.

The Presidents’ Trophy winners with a league-best 121 points still led 1-0 entering the third period thanks to a Ross Colton goal. But Colorado, which was 45-0-0 when leading after two periods during the regular season and playoffs, gave up three goals in the final period, including a pair by Ivan Barbashev.

Bednar held what he called a pointed team meeting before leaving for Las Vegas on Saturday that he said “wasn’t tactical.” He hinted that he thought that Vegas, which finished with a 32-28 edge in hits, was simply outcompeting his team in the trenches.

“I think we’ve got another level to go to in the competitive spirit,” Bednar said. “I think we lost Game 2 on the margins of the physicality at times. The competitiveness at the point of the puck, I think is the difference in the hockey game.”

Lower-seeded teams that have won the first two games in a best-of-seven Stanley Cup playoff series on the road have gone on to win 91 of 113 series (80.5%). So it would seem the Golden Knights are in the driver’s seat to reach their third Stanley Cup Final in nine seasons.

However, Vegas was in a similar situation in 2024 when it won the first two games at Dallas in its first-round series only to lose the next three in a row, as well as Game 7.

“It’s good to have that experience,” center William Karlsson said. “Obviously, that was a huge letdown after coming home with two wins on the road, so definitely learn from that.”

“It’s far from over, and we know that,” defenseman Noah Hanifin added. “It’s a long series. They’re a great team over there, and we’ve got to stay even-keeled. … Game 3 is going to be huge.”

Vegas captain Mark Stone, who has missed the last six games with a lower-body injury, took part in the team’s optional skate on Saturday.

–Field Level Media

Andrew Gutman scored the go-ahead goal in the second half to help the host Chicago Fire beat Toronto FC 2-1 on Saturday for their third straight victory in the final match before the MLS break for the World Cup.

The Fire (8-4-2, 26 points) have allowed just two goals over their past three matches.

Toronto (3-6-5, 14 points) has lost three straight and is winless in its past eight (0-5-3).

Toronto had the momentum early and forced Chicago goalkeeper Chris Brady into an early save when Josh Sargent came up the middle to put a feed from Malik Henry on target in the fifth minute.

The hosts started to find their game as the first half progressed and finally converted to take a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute. Hugo Cuypers sent a centering pass to Maren Haile-Selassie, who put a one-touch short feed up for Robin Lod. The Finnish forward maintained possession as he headed into the box and, with Toronto goalkeeper Luka Gavran off his line, fired the ball into the right corner.

That gave the Fire life, and they started to control the play.

But Toronto pulled even in the 34th minute, courtesy of Josh Sargent, in his return after missing three matches with a thigh injury. On a rush up to the final third, Alonso Coello put the ball ahead for Sargent, who split two Chicago defenders before collecting it in the box and delivering a right-foot strike that went bar down.

Sargent nearly had his second two minutes later when his shot from the top of the box went just over the crossbar.

The second half started much like the first, with the visitors controlling play and generating an early opportunity. In the 49th minute, Derrick Etienne Jr. collected a loose ball along the left side of the box and fired it far side, but his shot rolled just wide of the post.

Gutman put Chicago ahead 2-1 in the 65th minute. Philip Zinckernagel gathered the rebound of his corner attempt by the right-side touchline and sent it toward a crowd of bodies by the spot, where Gutman jumped for the header, directing it inside the right post.

–Field Level Media

Jorge Ruvalcaba scored a pair of first half goals on Saturday night to help the visiting New York Red Bulls earn a 2-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City.

Ethan Horvath made seven saves for New York (6-5-4, 22 points), which extended its unbeaten streak to four (3-0-1).

Calvin Harris scored a second-half goal for Kansas City (3-9-2, 11 points), which had won its previous two matches. Stefan Cleveland had two saves for Sporting, who sit at the bottom of the Western Conference standings.

Saturday marked the last game for both sides before the nearly two-month break for the World Cup.

New York struck first in the fourth minute, as Ruvalcaba netted his sixth goal of the season. Gustav Berggren found Ruvalcaba, who made two dribbles to the left of the box and scored past to the left of Cleveland.

Sporting had a pair of early chances to pull even, but Horvath saved attempts from Taylor Calheira and Harris.

Ruvalcaba and Berggren each had missed attempts in the 32nd minute, but New York doubled its lead just before halftime, as Ruvalcaba scored again, this time off a fast-break assist from Julian Hall.

New York had just two shots on target in the first half, scoring on both. Three of Kansas City’s eight first-half shots were on goal.

Kansas City cut its deficit in half in the 64th minute, as Manu Garcia assisted Harris on a right-footed connection from the center of the box. The goal was Harris’ second strike of the season.

Stephen Afrifa had a chance to tie the game in the 78th minute, but missed wide right.

Sporting had another opportunity in the 86th minute, but Dejan Joveljic’s left-footed attempt from outside of the box was saved by Horvath.

The hosts dominated the final stats, controlling over 57% of the possession time, attempting more shots (15-10), corners (6-1) and crosses (14-1).

–Field Level Media