2 Avalanche most to blame for Game 2 loss to Golden Knights

The Colorado Avalanche are in a very uncomfortable position. After winning the Presidents Trophy — a dangerous playoff indicator — and winning the first two rounds of the playoffs, the Avs have lost the first two games of the Western Conference Final at home to the opportunistic Vegas Golden Knights.

The Avs are in quite a bit of trouble as they prepare for the third game of the series in Sin City. They have very little margin for error.

The Avs were under pressure going into the second game after letting the series opener slip through their grasp. Colorado played a very tight game defensively in Game 2 and took a 1-0 lead into the third period, but they fell apart after Jack Eichel tied the game near the midway point of the period and Ivan Barbashev gave the Golden Knights the lead when he beat Colorado goalie Scott Wedgewood with a wrist shot at the 11:22 mark.

Barbashev was able to provide the clincher when he fired the puck into an empty for a 3-1 victory. The Golden Knights have responded quite well to head coach John Tortorella since he replaced Bruce Cassidy late in the regular season, and now the VGK is just two games away from going back to the Stanley Cup Final. Vegas won the Stanley Cup in 2023.

But while Vegas is playing free and easy at this point, the vice has tightened around the Avalanche. Head coach Jared Bednar’s team has been without superstar defenseman Cale Makar because of an upper body injury, and clearly something has been missing from the Colorado attack. However, there is still plenty of talent and it’s something of a shocker that they were not able to pick up one home victory in the opening two games.

Nathan MacKinnon did not stand and deliver for the Avs

There is no doubt that Nathan MacKinnon is one of the most exciting and dynamic players in the league. He is a powerful and explosive skater, and he may be the player who brings the most fans to their feet when they see him play.

MacKinnon had another spectacular season for the Avs as he led the league with 53 goals and he added 74 assists for 127 points. MacKinnon has exceeded the 111-point mark in each of the last four seasons. He is recognized as one of the three best offensive players in the league along with Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers and Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

He has also been a big-time scorer in the postseason throughout his 13-year career. He has scored 62 goals and 77 assists for 139 points in 106 postseason games. While he has been scoring in this year’s postseason with seven goals and seven assists in 11 games, he has been very quiet against the Golden Knights.

He had one assist in Game 1 of the series but he was unable to dent the scoreboard in Game 2. MacKinnon was on the ice for 22:30 but he had just one shot on goal. He did have multiple opportunities, but he could not put his other shots on net and some of his passes missed their marks.

MacKinnon knows how important he is to the team and he will put maximum pressure on himself to upgrade his performance on the road. His intensity often fuels his play, and he should come out flying in Game 3 for Colorado.

Martin Necas has not been producing against the VGK

Martin Necas has fit in brilliantly with the Avalanche since the team acquired him at the trade deadline in 2025 from the Carolina Hurricanes. He was explosive in his first full season with the Avs, as he scored 38 goals and 62 assists. That allowed him to get to the 100-point mark for the first time in his career.

He is a great complementary scorer to MacKinnon.

However, Necas has not gotten on the scoreboard in either of the first two games against the Golden Knights. He had just two shots on goal in Game 2 and he had a minus-2 rating because he was on the ice for two of the Vegas goals.
Necas has 11 points in 11 playoff games for the Avs, but he has just one goal. Bednar needs much more from him.

The Avs need their two most productive offensive players to compete more efficiently and find a way to put the puck behind Vegas goalie Carter Hart. It certainly would help if Makar can work his way back into the lineup and there is reason to believe that he can do that and play in Game 3.

Makar will help the Avs break the puck out of their own end and make a significant contribution when the Avs are attacking the Vegas net if he can put on his skates and play.

Whether Makar plays or not, MacKinnon and Necas need to shoot with more accuracy and play more effectively or the Avs will see their season come to a premature end.

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