Avalanche’s Artturi Lehkonen, Sam Malinski Ruled Out for Game 4 vs. Wild.

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Colorado Avalanche will be without two key contributors for Monday night’s Game 4 matchup against the Minnesota Wild, as forward Artturi Lehkonen and defenseman Sam Malinski have both been ruled out with upper-body injuries. The absences leave a noticeable gap in Colorado’s lineup, particularly on the blue line where Malinski has emerged as one of the club’s most dependable defensemen this season. The 27-year-old completed a breakout campaign with 40 points across all 82 regular-season games while leading all NHL defensemen with a plus-43 rating. Malinski has continued to play a major role during the postseason, skating alongside Brett Kulak on Colorado’s second pairing and averaging just under 20 minutes of ice time per game. The Minnesota native also made an immediate impact in the series, scoring the opening goal of Game 1. Lehkonen’s absence is another major setback for the Avalanche. The veteran winger has remained a fixture in Colorado’s top six throughout the playoffs, providing steady two-way play and additional scoring depth as the Avalanche battle for a spot in the Western Conference Final.