Bednar on Burakovsky for Game 6: 'We'll see'

Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar didn't give much away when asked about Andre Burakovsky's availability for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final Sunday night.

"We'll see," he said as to whether or not Burakovsky would return from an upper-body injury that has kept him out since Game 2.

The 27-year-old briefly participated in Colorado's morning skate on Sunday.

Burakovsky has scored three goals and added five assists over 12 games for the Avs during their playoff run, highlighted by the overtime winner in Game 1 of their championship series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

Burakovsky netted a career-high 22 goals and 39 assists over 80 regular season games, his third campaign in Denver.

The Austrian was selected 23rd overall by the Washington Capitals in the 2013 NHL Draft and played five seasons there before joining the Avalanche via a trade before the 2019-20 season. He won the Stanley Cup with the Capitals in 2018. 

Meanwhile, forward Valeri Nichushkin was banged up in Game 5 Friday night and had a noticeable limp walking into Amalie Arena Sunday morning, tweets Pierre LeBrun.

Bednar said the team is hoping to have him in for Game 6.

Valeri Nichushkin had a noticeable limp walking into Amalie Arena this morning. Jared Bednar, on Nichushkin's availability for Game 6: "Yeah we're hoping he's in tonight."

He had 25 goals and 27 assists in 62 regular season games while adding another nine goals and 15 points during the Avs' playoff run.

The Avs lead the best-of-seven series 3-2 after falling to the Lightning at home in Game 5 on Friday night.