Avalanche seek – The Avalanche will chase a response in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final without Cale Makar for the second straight game, while the Golden Knights remain without captain Mark Stone. Both teams took part in Friday morning skates but aren’t ready for full p
Denver – The Game 2 atmosphere has the same tension as the Game 1 build-up: for both clubs, the biggest names still aren’t on the ice.
The Avalanche will be without Cale Makar for the second straight game. The Golden Knights, in turn, will play without captain Mark Stone. Both skated with their teams Friday morning, but neither is ready for playoff action.
Avalanche coach Jared Bednar confirmed after the skate that Makar wouldn’t suit up. He was asked whether losing the Norris Trophy winner has any mental effect on his team.
“I’m going to say no – it shouldn’t, because you’ve got to concentrate and focus on what you need to do in the moment, what your team needs to do,” Bednar said. He wouldn’t say whether Makar would be replaced by Jack Akcan or Nick Blankenburg.
Bednar’s message instead focused on what the players who are in the lineup have to do differently. “The guys that are in the lineup. our back end. will have to be better than they were the other night. It’s not that they were terrible. I just think all those guys are capable of giving us a little bit more. especially on the execution side of it. helping us create a little more offence. managing the puck and executing with the puck to get us out of our zone through the neutral zone. even in the offensive zone to extend play.”.
“It hurts when you don’t have Makar, but they don’t have Stone,” Bednar added. “Stone’s an impact player for them. Minnesota didn’t have Eriksson-Ek and Brodin, and we had guys out. Our goal is to be the best version of ourselves we can be tonight. and that’s without Kale. and so be it. I still think we’re capable of winning the hockey game if we’re better than we were the other night.”.
For Vegas, the club has a strict policy against commenting on any player’s status, but Stone’s absence is no mystery. The lower-body injury he suffered on May 8 has kept him out, and he stayed on the ice late with the other scratches.
Jack Eichel said the loss is felt. “Stoney is a huge part of our team. he’s our captain. he means a lot to us both on and off the ice – there’s no way to fill in his loss. ” Eichel said. “But collectively, as a group, everyone has to be better, and I think that’s how you overcome something like that.”.
Game 1 ended 4-2 for the Golden Knights, with the deciding blend coming from opportunism and goaltending. Carter Hart made the difference between an Avalanche push that created looks and a scoreboard that didn’t match the volume. Bednar and his players all believe that if they’re cleaner—if their chances turn into outcomes—the result can swing back quickly.
Colorado’s confidence isn’t just coach-speak. Over the last three-and-a-half months, the Avalanche have only lost two games in a row once, giving them reason to believe this isn’t a collapse, but a correctable stumble.
Eichel, meanwhile, refused to let Game 2 become a different kind of game in his mind. Asked whether Colorado should approach it differently after winning Game 1 was left in Vegas’ hands, he balked.
“I don’t think you should,” Eichel shrugged. “I’m trying to approach all the games the same way. Listen, every game you play is your biggest game at this time of year. So, Game 2 is our biggest game, and that’s what we should be focused on.”
The problem in Game 1 wasn’t that Colorado couldn’t generate offense. It was that too much of it didn’t land cleanly. The Avalanche had a significant edge in shots and high-danger chances, yet only 38 of their 80 shot attempts hit the net. Twenty-four were blocked, and 18 were shot wide.
Colorado defenceman Sam Malinski tried to put a finger on what changes have to happen. “I think when they are taking lanes away we might have to start looking to the side of the net for some of our forwards’ sticks. and maybe finding ways to change the angle. maybe one extra pass. ” Malinski said. “But, we want to get pucks down there.”.
Even when the chances looked almost certain, the breaks didn’t always go the Avalanche way. Fourth-line winger Logan O’Connor came closest to turning that desperation into a moment. He hit the post. was stopped on a deft Bobby Orr-type diving attempt. and was robbed by Carter Hart’s glove. It became a snapshot of how deep Colorado’s lineup is. and how different players can still make an impact even when the puck doesn’t cooperate.
Bednar praised O’Connor’s habits and effort when asked about his effectiveness alongside Jack Drury and Parker Kelly. “It’s his skating. it’s his relentlessness. his physicality. all those kind of habits that he’s developed in his game. ” Bednar said. “He’s quick, he’s strong, he’s tenacious. I think that’s who he is, that’s how he plays, and he’s going to create chances off his hard work. You look at the details that he and his line
play with. and the connectivity of the group of three of those guys. They all have the same kind of attitude and mentality. and they know what their line is. and they go out and do the best job they can within the confines of their game. And I think he’s like that. that’s a solid game from those three guys again last night. and they continue to. you know. be pretty consistent with what
they’re doing. that game. game by game. they’re making an impact. they might not score easy. but they’re going to be hard to play against.”.
Game 2 is scheduled for Friday night, and coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.
Avalanche Golden Knights Cale Makar Mark Stone Game 2 Western Conference Final Carter Hart Jack Eichel Jared Bednar Sam Malinski Logan O'Connor