Avalanche's chances of coming back against Golden Knights may have evaporated after Game 3 collapse

It looks like it's over for the Colorado Avalanche. 

The Avalanche blew a 3-0 lead in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday night, losing 5-3. Colorado now trails 3-0 in the best-of-seven series, putting the team on the brink of elimination.

Avalanche HC Jared Bednar reacts to Game 3 loss

"It's as low as it can get," Bednar said of the mood in the locker room following Game 3, via ESPN's Greg Wyshynski.  

History is against the Avs, further dampening the team's disposition. Per Wyshynski, only four teams in NHL history have come back after losing the first three games of a best-of-seven series. Teams that take such a lead in the round before the Stanley Cup Final are 49-0, including 13-0 when they win their first two road games as Vegas did. 

"You've got a big hill to climb. You've got to find a way to get over it and regroup," Bednar said. 

The hill may be beginning to feel like a mountain for the Avalanche now that star center Nathan MacKinnon is hobbled. The Hart Trophy finalist fell to the ice after blocking a slap shot off the stick of Knights defenseman Shea Theodore in the second period. The puck appeared to hit his left leg. 

MacKinnon exited with 7:54 remaining in the second period. He returned for the third but skated just four shifts. Bednar didn't provide an update on the forward in his postgame news conference.

MacKinnon missing Game 4 in Vegas on Tuesday night (ESPN, 9 p.m. ET) could be the final blow for the Avalanche, especially with defenseman Cale Makar not looking like himself. The Norris Trophy finalist returned to the lineup on Sunday after a right shoulder issue sidelined him in Games 1 and 2. The defender skated 27 shifts and played 27:14 but recorded no points.

If any team's going to beat these long odds, it could be the Avalanche, who won the Presidents' Trophy after tallying 121 points and going 55-16-11 during the regular season. 

"No one's backing down from the challenge, but they're not making it easy," Colorado goalie Scott Wedgewood said postgame, via Wyshynski. "It's going to take a tremendous effort and we'll find a way to do it."

Do the Avalanche have the juice to make that effort? It sure doesn't seem like it after the Game 3 collapse.