Avalanche’s Burakovsky a ‘possibility’ to return for Game 6

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The status of a couple of key players remains uncertain for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Colorado coach Jared Bednar says there’s a chance Game 1 overtime hero Andre Burakovsky could return Sunday night following a three-game absence from the best-of-seven series. Tampa Bay’s Brayden Point figures to be a game-time decision for the two-time defending champion Lightning, too.

The Avalanche lead the series 3-2, despite being without Burakovsky since the forward suffered a hand injury blocking a shot in Game 2.

“Burky is still considered day to day,” coach Jared Bednar said in Denver on Saturday before the Avalanche boarded a flight for Florida.

“I think he’s a possibility for us, he’s traveling with us,” Bednar added, “so he may be in the lineup.”

Burakovsky scored in overtime to give Colorado a 4-3 victory in Game 1, then had a goal and an assist before departing Game 2, which the Avalanche won 7-0. He remained in Denver, while the team traveled to Florida for Games 3 and Game 4, and then sat out Game 5 at home.

Point, Tampa Bay’s leading goal scorer the past two postseasons, has been limited since suffering a lower body injury during Game 7 of the Lightning’s first-round victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Point missed 10 games before returning to the lineup for Games 1 and 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. Overall, he’s missed 13 games of the Lightning’s last 15 games.

Colorado’s Nazem Kadri opened his TV interview at the first intermission of Game 4 Wednesday by saying, “The ice is garbage” at Amalie Arena in Tampa. It didn’t seem to slow him down when he scored the overtime winner.

After the puck bounced around a lot in Tampa Bay’s victory in Game 5 that prolonged the series, the teams return to