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WCF: Vegas Golden Knights vs. Colorado Avalanche

CarltonTheBear

CarltonTheBear

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https://twitter.com/x/status/2055148942698938793

Game 1: Vegas at Colorado -- 8 p.m. ET, Wednesday, May 20 (ESPN, SN, CBC, TVAS)
Game 2: Vegas at Colorado -- 8 p.m. ET, Friday, May 22 (ESPN, SN, CBC, TVAS)
Game 3: Colorado at Vegas -- 8 p.m. ET, Sunday, May 24 (ESPN, SN, CBC, TVAS)
Game 4: Colorado at Vegas -- 9 p.m. ET, Tuesday, May 26 (ESPN, SN, CBC, TVAS)
* Game 5: Vegas at Colorado -- 8 p.m. ET, Thursday, May 28 (ESPN, SN, CBC, TVAS)
* Game 6: Colorado at Vegas -- 8 p.m. ET, Saturday, May 30 (ABC, SN, CBC, TVAS)
* Game 7: Vegas at Colorado -- 8 p.m. ET, Monday, June 1 (ESPN, SN, CBC, TVAS)
* - If necessary
 
If Makar gets hurt it gives Vegas a chance but I think this is going to be a massacre. Vegas benefitted from an easier path and I don't think Vegas matches up well
 
L K said:
If Makar gets hurt it gives Vegas a chance but I think this is going to be a massacre. Vegas benefitted from an easier path and I don't think Vegas matches up well
Click to expand...
Colorado list no injuries but Makar is already hurt some - recurring shoulder injury he originally hurt against Calgary. He has missed practices. Don't know his status for tonight but he may be doubtful for game 1. They'll pound that shoulder if & when he plays.

Lauzon & captain Mark Stone are injured for Vegas and apparently not likely for games 1 & 2.
Karlsson's return from 6 months on the IR has helped but they need all the help they can get.

Avs should take the series handily.
 
With Makar since 2019, Avs are a .678 team during the regular season
Without Makar since 2019, Avs are a .638 team during the regular season
With Lauzon & captain Mark Stone probably out for Vegas, it is probably close to a saw off.
 
4EVRLEAFAN said:
Vegas looked good tonight.
Click to expand...

They did. It is arguable that the key difference was a between the wickets soft goal allowed by Wedgewood.
Edge in scoring chances to the Avs - in part because they were behind all game.

But I was reflecting on what is happening? Why?

Colorado got stronger down the middle with the addition of Kadri & Roy.

Vegas got stronger down the middle with the return of Karlsson after 6 months on LTIR and acquiring Dowd to go with Eichel & Hertl. That allowed Marner to move back from center to his natural right wing position which has probably helped to spring him offensively.

Vegas added Rasmus Andersson via trade to their top 4 D
and
Carter Hart, who was injured much of the season - has probably had the biggest impact on them defensively - upgrading them significantly in goal.

A confounding thing is why coach Tortorella would give Marner the most ice time among the Vegas forwards in a big game like this? Is it because it is games 1-4 and they "don't count in the playoffs" (according to some) - particularly when they flip home ice advantage? The game 1 winner tends to win the series 68.x% of the time - (so according to some, points in game 1 don't matter). Tortorella is among a string of Cup winning coaches giving Marner the most or second most ice time among their forwards in the playoffs. How come Tortorella and the other Cup winning coaches aren't as smart as some Leafs fans when it comes to doling out ice time to Marner? Marner scored his league leading 19th playoff point and his +2 climbed him to a league leading +13 for these playoffs. Marner leads the league in short handed playoff points since he entered the league.

The Knights have a worse pts win% without Mark Stone than the Avs do without Makar.
Avs are probably still favored though it looks like the Knights intend to make a real contest of it.
 
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