LAS VEGAS — Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar has been cleared for Thursday’s pivotal Game 6 against the Vegas Golden Knights, according to the team.
Bednar was not on the ice for morning skate Thursday, as the Avalanche said there were “irregularities” in his COVID-19 testing. However, after further results came in on Thursday afternoon, Bednar was cleared to be behind the bench.
Earlier in the playoffs, the NHL said that nine of the 12 U.S.-based playoff teams had reached the fully vaccinated threshold of 85% of the traveling party to qualify for relaxed protocols. Colorado was among the teams to reach the threshold.
The NHL also got a scare in the first round when a laboratory error caused multiple false positives for the Golden Knights and St. Louis Blues.
After taking a 2-0 series lead against Vegas, Colorado now trails 3-2 and faces a must-win Game 6 in Las Vegas. The Avalanche won the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL’s top regular-season team and are looking to avoid their third straight second-round elimination.