DENVER (AP) — Kiefer Sherwood and Dakota Joshua had a goal and an assist, Kevin Lankinen stopped 31 shots and the Vancouver Canucks beat Colorado 4-1 on Thursday night as the Avalanche gave leading scorer Nathan MacKinnon the game off to rest and heal for the postseason.
Jake DeBrusk also scored for the Canucks, who’ve been eliminated from postseason contention. Nils Hoglander added an empty-net goal with 1:58 remaining.
Click to Gallery
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski, right, collects the puck as Vancouver Canucks left wing Kiefer Sherwood, left, defends in the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood, right, makes a glove-save of a shot while screened by the Vancouver Canucks center Linus Karlsson (94) in the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski, top, lands on Vancouver Canucks left wing Drew O'Connor as they pursue the puck in the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood pulls on a glove before the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard, left, checks Vancouver Canucks center Aatu Raty, right, as they pursue the puck in the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Vancouver Canucks left wing Kiefer Sherwood, front right, drives between Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard, left, and left wing Jimmy Vesey (26) in the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Devon Toews had a goal and Mackenzie Blackwood made 26 saves for the Avalanche in their final home game of the regular season. Colorado will enter the postseason as the Central Division’s No. 3 seed and open a first-round series on the road.
By sitting out, MacKinnon's streak of 209 straight games was halted. He might not play in the final two regular-season games, either. MacKinnon is tied with Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov for the league lead with 116 points.
Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog began a minor league conditioning assignment with the Colorado Eagles and could suit up with the Eagles this weekend.
Landeskog could be activated for Game 1 of Colorado’s playoff series if the conditioning assignment and additional practices go well. A knee injury and subsequent surgeries have sidelined Landeskog since he helped the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 2022.
Canucks: Finished 3-0 against Colorado to sweep the season series for the first time since 2016-17.
Colorado: The short-handed Avalanche were without defensemen Ryan Lindgren (upper body) and Josh Manson (upper body), along with forwards Jonathan Drouin (upper body) and Ross Colton (lower body).
Joshua knocked in a loose puck with 13:46 remaining to make it a 3-1 game.
Colorado’s defensemen have a combined 206 points this season.
Colorado wraps up the regular season with a back-to-back starting Saturday in Los Angeles. Vancouver hosts Minnesota on Saturday.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski, right, collects the puck as Vancouver Canucks left wing Kiefer Sherwood, left, defends in the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood, right, makes a glove-save of a shot while screened by the Vancouver Canucks center Linus Karlsson (94) in the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski, top, lands on Vancouver Canucks left wing Drew O'Connor as they pursue the puck in the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood pulls on a glove before the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard, left, checks Vancouver Canucks center Aatu Raty, right, as they pursue the puck in the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Vancouver Canucks left wing Kiefer Sherwood, front right, drives between Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard, left, and left wing Jimmy Vesey (26) in the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — With his team trailing by 27 points to the red-hot Houston Rockets at halftime, coach Steve Kerr pulled Golden State emotional leader Draymond Green aside for a quick chat and to ask his opinion.
Should the Warriors plan to save their starters for what looked like an inevitable Game 6 in two days if things became any more out of hand after intermission? Green suggested Kerr should give the group five more minutes to see what could be done with the deficit.
It only got worse. And Kerr sent in the backups with 5:50 left in the third quarter of an embarrassing 131-116 loss Wednesday night so his Warriors can turn their attention at trying again to close out the first-round series back home Friday night.
“I wasn’t going to chase this game, obviously with Game 6 coming up in 48 hours," Kerr said. "So I talked to Draymond. I said, ‘What do you think?’ He said five minutes, so we gave the starting group the first five or six minutes and unless we had made a huge run, kind of had it in mind that we would pull the plug.”
The Warriors missed a chance to clinch the best-of-seven series on the road, and they gave some momentum right back to the Rockets. Golden State leads 3-2.
“The game got away from us early last night,” Kerr said Thursday. “We got a little scattered, and that’s on me.”
Kerr said forward Jonathan Kuminga will be available after sitting out Wednesday with a migraine.
Jimmy Butler, Stephen Curry and Green will need to forget their Game 5 blowout fast and now count on their experience in big games as they return to Chase Center to get past second-seeded Houston, which staved off elimination with a dominant performance.
“We're fine. Our confidence isn't going to waiver,” Butler said. “We're going to start out better and play a better overall game.”
The Minnesota Timberwolves are waiting for the winner to begin the Western Conference semifinals. While the Warriors couldn’t close their series on the road with a 3-1 lead, Rudy Gobert led the way as Minneapolis ended the season for LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers 103-96.
And given the blowout, the Golden State starters should be plenty fresh — Rockets coach Ime Udoka re-inserted his core group with the lead dwindling. Curry played 23 minutes, Butler 25 and Green nearly 18. Fred VanVleet scored 26 points on 8-for-13 shooting with four 3-pointers playing 33 minutes to lead Houston as all five starters reached double figures.
The Rockets jumped to a big lead from the opening tip for a runaway win. Their 131 points were their most ever in a playoff game against Golden State.
Houston had averaged 98 points per game through the first four of the series, then went off in the win that included an early 18-0 run and a 31-point lead in the second half before the Warriors' second unit chipped away.
“Loved our bench group, they came in and they forced Houston to bring their starters back in. They set a tone that we're going to need for Game 6,” Kerr said. “Even though we lost the game, I thought it was crucial that we fought the way we did in the fourth quarter.”
The past two games became testy, with Golden State's reserves getting involved during Game 5 when Pat Spencer got ejected for head-butting Alperen Sengun before Trace Jackson-Davis shoved the Rockets big man.
It was Curry, Green and Dillon Brooks in Game 4, yet Brooks believes Houston's youngsters are learning with each experience on the big NBA stage.
“They’re sticking to the details of the playoffs,” Brooks said. “Every possession matters, every loose ball, rebound, shot we take, it matters. And there’s nothing to get worked up or get tight about. It’s just understanding that you can’t turn the ball over and you need possessions, we need good possessions. And I feel like the young guys are learning how to leave their imprint on the game.”
When/Where to Watch: Game 6, Friday, 9 p.m. EDT (ESPN)
Series: Warriors lead 3-2.
BetMGM Sportsbook: Warriors by 4.5.
What to Know: Foul trouble and free-throw differential have been common themes in this series, with Golden State the culprit in Game 5. The Warriors had 27 fouls and the Rockets converted 32 of 38 free throws — 8 of 8 by Brooks, 6 of 6 by VanVleet, and 8 of 9 for Amen Thompson. VanVleet is 12 for 18 at the line over the past two games while shooting 8 of 13 from the floor in both contests. “We’ve got to stay more attached to him for sure,” Kerr said. “He got a few where we lost our focus, lost our matchup.” The Rockets also played a clean game with just 12 turnovers while Kerr has stressed taking care of the ball so many time this season and the Warriors committed 15 turnovers for 20 Houston points. And Golden State's defense will have to do something different against VanVleet, who along with his fellow starters had to return to the game when the Warriors reserves made a run and finished with a playoff franchise-record 76 bench points. Kerr chose to keep his veteran stars — Butler, Curry and Green — on the bench to end the game and get them ready for Friday.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) moves the ball up court as Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II defends during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) drives past Golden State Warriors guard Moses Moody during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) shoots as Golden State Warriors forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (32) defends during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Wednesday, April 30, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson high fives fans after Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Golden State Warriors, Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr stands by the team bench after a timeout in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Houston Rockets in Game 5 of the First Round of the NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun shoots over Golden State Warriors forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (32) and guard Moses Moody (4) during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson has his shot blocked by Golden State Warriors forward Braxton Key (12) during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Wednesday, April 30, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr instructs his players in Game 5 of the First Round of the NBA Playoffs against Houston Rockets at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Dillon Brooks (9) goes up to defend against a 3-point shot by Stephen Curry (30) in the first half as the Golden State Warriors played the Houston Rockets in Game 5 of the First Round of the NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Stephen Curry (30) walks off the court after the Golden State Warriors lost to the Houston Rockets in Game 5 of the First Round of the NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Brandin Podziemksi (2), Jimmy Butler (10) and Stephen Curry (30) react on the bench in the final seconds of the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Houston Rockets in Game 5 of the First Round of the NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
