DENVER (AP) — Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog says reaching the Western Conference Final provides all the motivation he needs.
However, if additional fuel were required, the painful memory of their 2021 second-round defeat to Vegas would certainly suffice. Colorado held a commanding 2-0 series advantage — and maintained a lead deep into the third period of Game 3 — before dropping four consecutive contests.
While that collapse was devastating at the time, it also served as motivation for the Avalanche’s Stanley Cup championship the next year. Vegas followed by claiming their own Cup title the subsequent season.
“Obviously, it’s the same teams but a lot of turnover,” Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri said ahead of a series that gets under way Wednesday night in Denver. “Obviously, we’re hoping for a different outcome this time.”
Several recognizable players return from that 2021 matchup between Colorado’s fast-paced attack and Vegas’s hard-hitting style — characteristics that still define this upcoming battle.
Colorado’s current roster features many holdovers from that series, including Landeskog, Kadri, Cale Makar, Valeri Nichushkin, Devon Toews and Nathan MacKinnon, with coach Jared Bednar still behind the bench.
Vegas retains key contributors such as captain Mark Stone, William Karlsson, Brayden McNabb, Keegan Kolesar, Shea Theodore and Reilly Smith. Former Avalanche adversary Pete DeBoer coached Vegas back then, but John Tortorella now leads the team.
Nicolas Roy has changed allegiances, playing for Vegas previously and now suiting up for Colorado. Brandon Saad made the opposite move, joining Vegas after playing for Colorado.
“We feel like we have swagger, believe in each other,” Vegas defenseman Noah Hanifin said. “It should be a fun test.”
The Golden Knights have surged since Tortorella assumed control after Bruce Cassidy’s dismissal. Vegas posted a 7-0-1 record to close the regular season — including a 3-2 overtime victory against Colorado on April 11 — and defeated playoff newcomers Utah and Anaheim to reach this stage.
Similar to how they channeled their 2021 Vegas loss into success, the Avalanche hope to transform last season’s playoff disappointment against Mikko Rantanen and the Dallas Stars into positive energy.
“The buy-in from our guys in both 2022 and this year, it’s at a different level,” said Bednar, whose Presidents’ Trophy-winning Avalanche are 8-1 so far in the postseason. “Because they know what the stakes are.”
Oddsmakers have installed the Avalanche as plus-135 favorites to win the Cup, while the Golden Knights sit at plus-575.
“It doesn’t matter in this room,” McNabb said of being an underdog. “They’re a good team. We know that. We respect them.”
Vegas is reaching the conference final for the fifth time since their inaugural 2017-18 campaign. No franchise has made more conference final appearances during that timeframe.
“Your approach should always be the same, so I don’t really think a whole lot changes,” center Jack Eichel said. “You want to continue to elevate your game both individually and as a team the further you go.”
Vegas traded Roy to Toronto last summer in exchange for Mitch Marner. Roy later joined Colorado through another transaction and now faces the organization he helped capture the 2023 Stanley Cup.
“They have a really good lineup. They have depth,” Roy said. “We do as well. So looking forward to it.”
Just four months ago, Kadri and Vegas defenseman Rasmus Andersson were Calgary teammates. Andersson was dealt in January while Kadri moved in March.
“Pretty crazy,” Kadri said. “It worked out for both of us.”
MacKinnon paces Colorado’s playoff scoring with 13 points (seven goals, six assists). The Avalanche’s depth shows as 17 different players have found the net.
“That doesn’t just happen,” Landeskog said. “That’s everybody pulling their weight and everybody doing the best they can to help the team out.”
Golden Knights forward Pavel Dorofeyev has shown a pattern of late-series production in both playoff rounds. After going scoreless through the first three games against Utah, he scored in Game 4 and recorded a hat trick in Game 5.
Dorofeyev managed only two assists in the opening three contests versus Anaheim before exploding for five goals across the final three games.
“It seems like he’s beginning to be a high-stakes player, scoring big goals at big times,” Tortorella said.
Colorado has alternated between goaltenders Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood. Wedgewood boasts a 7-1 record with a 2.21 goals-against average this postseason, while Blackwood stands 1-0 with a 3.20 GAA.
Vegas relies on Carter Hart, who carries an 8-4 record with a 2.37 GAA and .915 save percentage.
