Avalanche Prepare for Western Conference Finals Against Golden Knights

The Colorado Avalanche are gearing up for the Western Conference finals against the Vegas Golden Knights, with most players returning to practice after a two-day break. However, the team is still monitoring the status of key players, including defensemen Cale Makar and Brent Burns, and forward Artturi Lehkonen, who were absent during Saturday’s practice.

During the session, defenseman Josh Manson was seen warming up before heading to the locker room, while Sam Malinski participated in a no-contact jersey. The Avalanche emerged from their second-round series against the Minnesota Wild with various injuries, making the six-day hiatus between series crucial for recovery. Coach Jared Bednar acknowledged the challenges his players are facing, stating, “They’re all dealing with stuff in their day-to-day.”

With the series against Vegas set to begin Wednesday night, Bednar remains optimistic about the return of his injured players. “I think some of them will practice in the time we have,” he added, hinting at a hopeful recovery timeline. Both Lehkonen and Malinski are dealing with upper-body injuries and missed the final two games against Minnesota. Manson has also been nursing an upper-body issue, while Makar, a Norris Trophy finalist, left Game 5 after a collision but returned to help secure a 4-3 overtime victory.

Jack Drury expressed the positive impact of the break, saying, “It’s good for a couple of guys that are banged up. Given them some extra time. For the rest of us, just kind of mentally get fresh. I think everyone’s really excited.” On Saturday, the focus was less on strategizing for Vegas and more on skating and getting shots on net, with forward Martin Necas stating, “A couple days before the game we’ll prepare and do some meetings. Until then, just all on us.”

The Avalanche and Golden Knights have a recent playoff rivalry, with Vegas eliminating Colorado in the second round of the 2021 playoffs. The Knights, now coached by John Tortorella, have retained several players from their 2023 Stanley Cup-winning team, including Mitch Marner, who has been a standout performer with 18 points in the postseason. In a noteworthy trade last June, Marner was acquired from Toronto, sending Nicolas Roy to the Maple Leafs; Roy is now with the Avalanche.

Bednar acknowledged the challenge posed by Vegas, saying, “It’s an experienced group. You’re not going to rattle them. They’re very well-defined in their structure of their game. They’re a stingy defensive team, and they’ve got lots of firepower.” The Golden Knights are also dealing with injuries, notably to captain Mark Stone and defenseman Jeremy Lauzon.

Despite the challenges ahead, Bednar emphasized that the Avalanche are not underestimating their opponent: “It’s a good team. I mean, we’re not looking past this team. These guys are healthy and firing on all cylinders ever since they made the coaching change.” Following a coaching shift, Vegas finished the regular season strong, going 7-0-1 and defeating both Utah and Anaheim in the playoffs.

As the Avalanche prepare for a showdown with the Golden Knights, they are ready to adapt to any style of play. “We want to dominate the game so they have to adjust to us,” Necas said, highlighting the team’s readiness for the challenge ahead.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.