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00:04:59Субтитры делал DimaTorzok
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00:10:10disrespect to Ole вид
00:10:16who's played every second of this postseason for Vegas,
00:10:20and he's been excellent.
00:10:22Going back to the regular season, this is his 16th straight start.
00:10:27At the other end of the ice, Scott Wedgwood, the 33-year-old veteran.
00:10:31For much of his career, a backup and never started a playoff game until this year.
00:10:37After a terrific regular season, he's been, for the most part,
00:10:41very strong in the playoffs.
00:10:42Back in the net after he surrendered it for a couple of games to Mackenzie Blackwood.
00:10:51Francis Sherron and Wes McCauley are the referees.
00:10:54Ryan Gibbons and Trent Knorr are the linesmen.
00:10:58It'll be two of the best in the world on the opening faceoff.
00:11:01Jack Eichel for Vegas, Nathan McKinnon for Colorado, and game one is underway.
00:11:08Buck played into the zone, and Noah Hannafin's back on it.
00:11:12For Vegas, Ivan Barbashev, and now Eichel.
00:11:16Played it ahead and a shot right on from Pavel Dorothea,
00:11:21the leading goal scorer in these playoffs with nine.
00:11:24Vegas coached by John Tortorella in a move that was shocking ready to many.
00:11:30He replaced Bruce Cassidy with nine games to go in the regular season.
00:11:34They fared well under the veteran coach.
00:11:36They felt like they needed a spark, that they needed to change things a little bit,
00:11:40even though they were kind of just muddling along under Cassidy.
00:11:44Tortorella seems thrilled to be back behind the bench and has been really happy
00:11:47with the way his veteran team has been able to stay really aggressive through the first two rounds.
00:11:5315-4-1 with Torch behind the bench at age 67.
00:11:58Happy to be back in the action.
00:12:00Sam Molenski on defense now for Colorado.
00:12:04There's a takeaway by Eichel, waiting for help, and it's swept ahead by Molenski.
00:12:10Here's McKinnon with plenty of help.
00:12:12Takes the trailer, Molenski, and that's off the pad of Carter Hart.
00:12:16And to the near boards, Barbashev couldn't play it out.
00:12:20And now Shea Theodore got it ahead to Barbashev.
00:12:25And it's Devon Taves.
00:12:26He'll have some increased responsibility tonight without his usual partner on defense, Kale McCarr.
00:12:34It's gloved down.
00:12:35Brent Burns tried to send it toward the net.
00:12:37It was blocked by Theodore.
00:12:38And that's been one of the veteran defensemen specialties in these playoffs.
00:12:43Shea Theodore has blocked 35 shots in their 12 games.
00:12:48He's had a tremendous playoff, a real stepping stone for a player
00:12:53that has to play big minutes for Vegas, and he's just taken the role on it.
00:12:58Brayne McNabb lobbed it out.
00:13:00He was knocked down by Burns in the neutral zone.
00:13:03Now Brett Kulak.
00:13:07He scales it to center ice and sends it in off the far corner.
00:13:12Dylan Coughlin got hit from behind, taken down by Nazem Khadri.
00:13:18He plays it back to the line.
00:13:20And a shot from O'Shawn.
00:13:22Welled up in the corner.
00:13:24Jack O'Shawn playing tonight.
00:13:27For just the third game of the playoffs, he's only played in 22 career games of the regular season.
00:13:32They're firing away.
00:13:34Josh Manson plays it down low to Val Nachuskin.
00:13:37And they couldn't work it to the net front.
00:13:39Dylan Coughlin got it to Tomas Hurdle.
00:13:43Who endured a 29-game goalless streak.
00:13:47Final 20 of the regular season.
00:13:49First nine to the playoffs.
00:13:50Then he came to life.
00:13:51Late in that series against Anaheim.
00:13:54Jack Drury.
00:13:55Terrific fourth line center.
00:13:57Dumped it in deeper and dodged a hit from Noah Hannafin.
00:14:01Hannafin down on defense with Rasmus Anderson.
00:14:05They've been rock solid through the first 12 games of these playoffs.
00:14:10Burns took a hit up high as he sent it toward the net.
00:14:13It was Cole Smith who gave him a check.
00:14:16And then Burns, in return, knocked down Smith.
00:14:19Went straight back at him.
00:14:21The 40-year-old Burns went right over top of Smith.
00:14:26Burns in desperate search for his first Stanley Cup.
00:14:311,579 career games without winning at all.
00:14:36That's most among active players.
00:14:41Now Braden McNabb.
00:14:43Content to lob it in.
00:14:45The bouncing puck.
00:14:47They got played ahead to Marty Natchez.
00:14:49Across the line.
00:14:50Here's McKinnon on the move.
00:14:52And a tough angle shot.
00:14:53Well defended by Braden McNabb.
00:14:56Taves moved it quickly.
00:14:57Has it back from Alinsky.
00:14:59McKinnon a one-timer.
00:15:01That hit the stick of Theodore and wound up.
00:15:03Fluttering into Hark.
00:15:07Two chances McKinnon's had the puck on his stick in the middle of the ice.
00:15:10And he's turned him into rush opportunities.
00:15:12The first one was a shot by Devon Taves.
00:15:15That one was his wrister.
00:15:16Doesn't take much.
00:15:19Nicholas Wah, the former Vegas Golden Knight, had his shot blocked.
00:15:25And now it's Theodore.
00:15:27Seen it already.
00:15:29He blocks a lot of shots.
00:15:30And a lot of them are with his stick.
00:15:31So many players block with their body.
00:15:33Shot right on.
00:15:34And a good opportunity.
00:15:36They continue to pester Carter hard.
00:15:39As Manson threw it on net.
00:15:41After a good chance for Brock Nelson.
00:15:44And the crowd likes the play from the home team.
00:15:47Here in the first four minutes.
00:15:51Colorado's depth has been improved over the course of the season.
00:15:54They've got 17 players with a goal already in the playoffs.
00:15:58And one of the things that they are really good at is pressuring off the long rim around the boards.
00:16:05Their defense gets right down into play.
00:16:07You saw the early pinch gave a chance for Brock Nelson.
00:16:10And there's Manson.
00:16:11There was room up over top of the right shoulder.
00:16:13A Carter hard.
00:16:13He had to fight that one out.
00:16:15Off with a really good first four minute push by the abs.
00:16:23Nazem Khadri will take the draw with Nick Dowd.
00:16:30Colorado carrying the play.
00:16:31The reason for the roar from this crowd.
00:16:36Clean win by Khadri.
00:16:39Back to the line to O'Shan.
00:16:41He didn't expect O'Shan to play very much tonight.
00:16:45For the most part, Ray, the expectation was that they'd play with 5-D.
00:16:49Here's Kolasar.
00:16:50Great chance and a big stop.
00:16:53By Wedgwood.
00:16:58Josh Manson.
00:17:00Moved it up the wall.
00:17:01Cole Smith got knocked down again.
00:17:03Here's Noah Hannafin.
00:17:05One-timer from way up high.
00:17:07That got blocked and played in deeper by Anderson.
00:17:12Fourth line on for Vegas.
00:17:16And Wedgwood was going to hold it.
00:17:18Then he realized there's not a white shirt in sight.
00:17:20So he dropped it down for Josh Manson.
00:17:23Well, his first early test is Kolasar got in.
00:17:27And Wedgwood has to be awake for the quick shot on the breakaway.
00:17:34Howden or William Carlson.
00:17:37His return has been a big lift in the postseason.
00:17:39Played in only 14 regular season games.
00:17:41Threw that toward the net.
00:17:43They wound up in the far corner.
00:17:45Howden gets it for Carlson.
00:17:48Mitch Marner, the other member of this line.
00:17:52Stick to side by Wedgwood.
00:17:54The flip by Coghlan.
00:17:56McKinnon lobs it ahead for Natchez.
00:17:59Coghlan trying to get back and he did.
00:18:02And a good stick by Carlson to break it up near the line.
00:18:06Shot back in by Burns.
00:18:11One thing on the road here for Vegas.
00:18:13You're not going to get the match you want all the time.
00:18:15So their third pair was out there.
00:18:16Dylan Coghlan made a nice play to knock Natchez off his lane to the net.
00:18:22Dylan Coghlan played in only three regular season games for Vegas this year.
00:18:27Spent most of the year with their AHL affiliate just down the road.
00:18:31And Henderson.
00:18:32Jack Drury on the far wall.
00:18:36And it comes free.
00:18:39And then the puck lost up high by Burns.
00:18:43Three on two for Vegas into the zone.
00:18:45Sisson centers.
00:18:46And a stop made on Hurdle by Wedgwood.
00:18:49Hurdle then tried to feed Saad.
00:18:51But that didn't connect down low.
00:18:55Brett Kulak tried to pitch it to his fellow defenseman.
00:19:00And that got deflected.
00:19:01And Wedgwood elected to cover it.
00:19:04Most expect a tight series.
00:19:06There's been chances at each hand already.
00:19:10Keegan Colasar a breakaway.
00:19:12He tests Wedgwood who makes a left pad stop.
00:19:16And then Wedgwood has to fight this deflected puck.
00:19:18Swats it away from Hurdle.
00:19:20It stays 0-0.
00:19:48It stays 0-0.
00:19:50But didn't give excuses.
00:19:51The NHL is keeping the punishment.
00:19:53And guys, does that sound like they're inclined to give that draft pick back?
00:19:57That'll be something to deal with in the summer.
00:20:00And that's big news.
00:20:02Centering pass.
00:20:03Eichel Dorphy have had it stopped.
00:20:05And then Wedgwood held the post.
00:20:07Eichel tries to jam it in front again.
00:20:09And Molenski takes the passing lane away.
00:20:11So Eichel threw it from the goal line.
00:20:14It was blocked down by Wedgwood.
00:20:16And it's going to be fascinating to watch the Eichel and McKinnon lines against each other.
00:20:21Both of them have had a good chance already.
00:20:24After the early edge for Colorado, nine straight shot attempts now from Vegas.
00:20:30And it certainly has been an interesting stretch for the Vegas Golden Knights.
00:20:35You mentioned the coaching change.
00:20:37And then a lot of times you don't talk to the media after a loss or you're angry about something.
00:20:42But it was after a win when they clinched the series in Anaheim.
00:20:47And now they're refusing, we are told, at least so far,
00:20:50to let Bruce Cassidy talk to other teams that have a coaching vacancy.
00:20:54And that's highly unusual.
00:20:56It's all unusual and the players don't care.
00:20:59Exactly right.
00:21:00Focus is on the ice where it should be.
00:21:02With these two teams playing in game one of the conference final.
00:21:06Played in deep by Brock Nelson.
00:21:08Arturi Lekkonen back in the lineup tonight after he missed the last two against Minnesota.
00:21:13Manson pinched in, kept the puck in, and then knocked down a night.
00:21:17Nelson put it right into the midsection of Hart.
00:21:20He held on and then some pushing and shoving.
00:21:25Game one of a series, a lot of it is about seeing what the other team's going to do
00:21:29and then making adjustments.
00:21:31For about the third time in this first period,
00:21:33a puck goes up the boards and it's a Colorado defenseman way down the boards.
00:21:38This time it's Manson.
00:21:39The shot from Waugh to Brock Nelson is swallowed up pretty easily by Carter Hart off of Nelson.
00:21:47But that starts with another defense pinch down the wall.
00:21:50Nelson's had a really quiet playoff.
00:21:53Has not been very effective yet after an excellent season, his fourth 30-goal year.
00:21:59And Nelson, one of the finalists for the Selkie Trophy, is the best defensive forward
00:22:03in the National Hockey League.
00:22:06Anderson throws a pop-up.
00:22:10And the play whistled down for a hand pass as Cole Smith tried to play it.
00:22:18The quest begins with the Buffalo Sabres.
00:22:21Believe in yourself, believe in your teammates.
00:22:23Go behind the scenes with one team.
00:22:25It's all about this hunger.
00:22:26For each round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
00:22:29Quest for the Stanley Cup, only on NHL YouTube.
00:22:33Nine years in a row in the playoffs for Colorado under Jared Bednar in his 10th season.
00:22:40There almost wasn't a second season.
00:22:43They won 22 games in his first year.
00:22:46There was some discussion about whether he'd get a second year.
00:22:49They're awfully glad they gave it to him.
00:22:51He's one of the very best in the National Hockey League.
00:22:54Led them to the Stanley Cup in 2022.
00:22:58Ray, some mumbling about him prior to this year.
00:23:03The last three seasons since that Stanley Cup.
00:23:06Colorado won only one playoff series.
00:23:09And there were some who were starting to pin that on the coach.
00:23:13Well, the bar becomes higher and higher.
00:23:16For a team like Colorado and a coach like Bednar,
00:23:19making the playoffs is a nice thing.
00:23:21But what they want is playoff success.
00:23:23And so, I'm real critical that they got through that first round.
00:23:28Now they're through the second and into this Western Conference final.
00:23:30I think he's one of the game's best coaches.
00:23:32And one of the good guys as well.
00:23:37Trying for their fourth Stanley Cup since they moved to Denver 30 years ago.
00:23:42Jack Drury trying to dig it free along the wall.
00:23:44It squirts out to Saad.
00:23:45He tries to bank it around Burns.
00:23:49Picked up.
00:23:49There's a penalty here.
00:23:51And it's going against Colorado.
00:23:53A hooking call.
00:23:56And the Vegas Golden Knights will get the first power play of the Western Conference final.
00:24:02As Brent Burns goes off for a hook at 9-0-2.
00:24:07Colorado under 84.
00:24:09Minor penalty for hooking.
00:24:11As this puck gets chipped up the board, you're going to see while Brandon Saad is in the lineup.
00:24:16He doesn't have any goals in the playoffs.
00:24:18He had three in the regular season.
00:24:20But he can skate.
00:24:21And he pushes Burns to a decision.
00:24:23Burns knows he's beat.
00:24:25And so, he gets a hook on Saad.
00:24:27Actually, a couple of times.
00:24:29And so, this Vegas power play that used to have five forwards.
00:24:34When John Tortorella took over, it didn't seem like it was going to be a thing that Tortorella was going
00:24:40to stick with.
00:24:41Now, they go to four forwards and the one defenseman, that's Shea Theodore.
00:24:44It's a more traditional, if you will, power play.
00:24:47But a lot will go through Jack Eichel's hands.
00:24:50They have found the groove on the power play lately.
00:24:53Five straight games with a power play goal for Vegas.
00:24:58Nine for 35 in all in the playoffs.
00:25:01Five for 15 in the second round against Anaheim.
00:25:04Two really creative passers.
00:25:05Here's Marner.
00:25:06Eichel is the other.
00:25:07And Dora Fea is the shooter.
00:25:09Man, that kid could shoot the puck.
00:25:11Eichel had only one power play goal in the regular season.
00:25:14He has almost always passed first.
00:25:16One of the great passers in the world.
00:25:19Theodore is the man up high.
00:25:22Nechuskin killing the penalty with Nelson, Manson, and Taves.
00:25:26Oh, good work by Manson.
00:25:28As Marner tried to move it along.
00:25:31And the Avs clear.
00:25:34They were excellent in the regular season.
00:25:37Number one in the league on the penalty kill at 84.6%.
00:25:43They were number one in a lot of things.
00:25:45And the penalty killing was another, as you mentioned.
00:25:49And they led the league in the regular season in goals per game
00:25:52and in fewest goals against per game.
00:25:55That's the daily double.
00:25:57When you score the most, you give up the fewest, you're going to win.
00:25:59And they did.
00:26:00And a historic great centering pass by Eichel.
00:26:02Hopped over the stick of Dorofiev.
00:26:05And now both teams sending their first units off.
00:26:08The first power play gone for Vegas.
00:26:10And the first PK off the ice for Jared Bednar.
00:26:14Down to nine and a half to go.
00:26:16First period.
00:26:17Did no score.
00:26:18Shots are even at four apiece.
00:26:24A little bit of a bad break for Colorado there.
00:26:27As Taves knocked that puck down.
00:26:29They called it a high stick.
00:26:31So instead of a clear, Vegas gets a faceoff to the left of Scott Wedgward.
00:26:36The puck will come back into the circle.
00:26:38Although the referees overruled that, actually.
00:26:42Wes McCauley said, no, it's not a high stick.
00:26:44So that draw comes outside the blue line.
00:26:47With 24 left on the Vegas power play.
00:26:51And no shots on goal.
00:26:53In this man-up situation.
00:27:00And Josh Mann will take the draw with Nelson.
00:27:02Sorry, Sean.
00:27:03I was just going to say, Manson is out here again.
00:27:05He's going to play a lot of PK time.
00:27:07He and Rasmus Anderson, who is a pain in everyone's backside,
00:27:12are out here kind of fencing away outside the blue line.
00:27:20Into the corner after it, Barbashev.
00:27:24Anderson pitches in deep.
00:27:25Ran into his own man.
00:27:26Manson throws the body again.
00:27:28That time into Carlson.
00:27:29And it's scaled around and out by Nachushkin.
00:27:34That should just about do it for the Vegas power play.
00:27:37They have five seconds.
00:27:38Noah Hannafin on the rush.
00:27:40Out for Howden.
00:27:42Trying to get away from Manson.
00:27:44Out of the box, Burns.
00:27:46Centering pass for Barbashev.
00:27:47Got blocked.
00:27:50And now it's handled by Burns.
00:27:52He banks it in.
00:27:54They'll get a new line out.
00:27:58Now Hannafin.
00:28:00Member of the gold medal winning team USA.
00:28:04In the Olympics in Milan in February, as was Jack Eichel.
00:28:08And Brock Nelson.
00:28:11Of Colorado.
00:28:12Also a member of that gold medal winning team.
00:28:15Landis Gogg.
00:28:16Tried to center it.
00:28:17Wound up in front of the net.
00:28:18And cleared away.
00:28:19Tried away by Sissons.
00:28:23Top line out for Colorado.
00:28:26McKinnon with Landis Gogg and Nachush.
00:28:28That got deflected out of the rink.
00:28:31It'll be a face off to the left of Carter Hart.
00:28:34After a media timeout.
00:28:36Stanley Cup playoffs on ESPN are presented by Geico.
00:28:38It feels good to have a winning team.
00:28:41It feels good to Geico.
00:28:51Back in Denver.
00:28:52No score.
00:28:538-13 to go.
00:28:55The first period of game one of the Western Conference Final.
00:28:58Time for game drivers.
00:28:59Brought to you by Geico.
00:29:01The number one and number three scoring teams per game in the playoffs.
00:29:06Colorado's number one.
00:29:07McKinnon gets out on the rush as well as anyone.
00:29:09Nice play by McNabb to push that aside.
00:29:11And here's the breakaway.
00:29:13Really good breakout from Vegas.
00:29:15Two cross ice passes sends in Keegan Colasar.
00:29:19And Scott Wedgwood makes the pad stop.
00:29:21But these teams can score.
00:29:23They can score quickly.
00:29:25They can grind you down and forecheck well.
00:29:27And so I don't think this is a series of a bunch of 1-0 games.
00:29:33You wouldn't think so.
00:29:36They played three times in the regular season.
00:29:39Colorado won two.
00:29:41It's a matchup of the two division winners in the Western Conference.
00:29:47Colorado won the very talented Central Division.
00:29:51And Vegas, the Pacific.
00:29:53Which was described as a pillow fight by Conor McDavid.
00:29:58Late in the season.
00:29:59Wasn't quite that bad.
00:30:01But who are we to disagree with Conor McDavid?
00:30:04The Eastern Conference Final gets underway tomorrow.
00:30:07TNT will have that entire series for you.
00:30:1111 full days in between games.
00:30:14In between rounds for Carolina Ray.
00:30:16That's the longest any team has waited between playoff rounds since 19-19.
00:30:23I can't even imagine how they keep their focus.
00:30:26I know they've got a big prize potentially in front of them.
00:30:29But to stay sharp, to stay crisp, that'll be a challenge for them early in this series.
00:30:35They have swept their way.
00:30:37Have the Canes through the first two rounds.
00:30:39One of the reasons why they had the long wait.
00:30:43Montreal, of course, won that.
00:30:45Captivating game seven in overtime in Buffalo on Monday night.
00:30:49So a quick turnaround for them.
00:30:50There's a shot just wide.
00:30:55And then an interception up high by Lekkonen.
00:30:58But he couldn't move with it.
00:30:59Eichel snapped it back in.
00:31:01And he heads off.
00:31:03Vegas has played the last, I'd say, seven or eight minutes of this period really well.
00:31:07Colorado hasn't spent any time in the offensive zone.
00:31:13Just joining us, no Cale McCarr tonight.
00:31:16For Colorado.
00:31:18Reigning champion of the Norris Trophy.
00:31:21Obvious best defenseman in the National Hockey League.
00:31:25And a finalist again this year as he tries to win it for the third time in his career.
00:31:29Carlson to handoff.
00:31:30Marner a shot.
00:31:33Hannafin in for Howden.
00:31:36Howden has eight goals in the playoffs.
00:31:39Second among all 16 teams behind only his teammate Dorothea.
00:31:45The Chuskin stopped at the line by Anderson.
00:31:49And that'll be an icing call against the Golden Knights with 6.32 to go in a scoreless first period.
00:31:57Vegas continues to put the forecheck on the avalanche.
00:32:01It's one of their great strengths.
00:32:02But they break the puck out crisply too.
00:32:06Barberchev's going to get a good chance here.
00:32:07That's an Eichel pass, man.
00:32:09Across the ice.
00:32:10Right on the tape.
00:32:11And Barberchev's shot denied by Wedgwood.
00:32:13Look at the traffic created by Ross Colton, actually.
00:32:16He's trying to help his goalie.
00:32:18Sometimes you end up in the way.
00:32:19But Wedgwood had to fight around Colton and take away the Marner shot.
00:32:22One-shot attempt for the Avs in the last nine and a half minutes after they came out flying.
00:32:29Natchez, who had a hundred-point regular season for the first time in his career.
00:32:33And it's played out by Howden.
00:32:35And Natchez just one goal in the playoffs.
00:32:37And points are nice and all that.
00:32:39But they're going to need him to get on the board in this series.
00:32:42He does have ten assists for 11 points in the nine games so far.
00:32:49They beat Minnesota in round two in five games.
00:32:52We're down three to nothing early to the wild in game five.
00:32:57Rallied to win four to three against a very good Minnesota team.
00:33:025.59 to go.
00:33:07Legends on both sides.
00:33:09Can you have legends when you've only been around for nine years?
00:33:11You can't.
00:33:12And the Avalanche.
00:33:14Plenty of them as well.
00:33:23Different paths.
00:33:26Different stories.
00:33:30The same desire.
00:33:34To lift the cup.
00:33:40These are two of the active coaches who have won a Stanley Cup.
00:33:44Tortorella a long time ago, 2004, with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Jared Bednar in 2022.
00:33:54They say people change over time, and I think they both have, but one thing that's remained the same with
00:34:00Tortorella is how he wants his team to play.
00:34:02In 2004, they had a saying in Tampa, safe as death.
00:34:06They wanted to be aggressive.
00:34:08They wanted to check forward.
00:34:09And that's really the part of the same message that he's brought to a Vegas team that was already very
00:34:15good.
00:34:16But he thought that they needed a mindset change to be a little bit more up on their toes.
00:34:21And certainly 15-4-1, since he's taken over, shows it's been the right thing.
00:34:27Certainly one of the things he has benefited from in that span is the return of Carter Hart, who missed
00:34:32three months.
00:34:33Their goaltending was not very good when he was out of action due to injury.
00:34:37Bad goaltending makes bad coach at Steele.
00:34:41And you wonder, you know, if Bruce Cassidy coached the rest of the season with Hart in the net, would
00:34:48they have made a change?
00:34:50Tortorella, all but one game of this 20-game stretch as the head coach of the VGK has come with,
00:34:57since Carter Hart returned.
00:34:58Hart returned for the second game that Tortorella coached behind the Vegas bench.
00:35:04Here's a chance for Logan O'Connor.
00:35:06That hit the goal post.
00:35:09Some in the crowd thought it went in, but it hit the pipe.
00:35:13Great chance for Logan O'Connor to break this scoreless tie.
00:35:18As we're down to five minutes to go in the first period.
00:35:24Kulak's played for three different teams this season.
00:35:28And now Lekkonen.
00:35:30Cross ice and a nice pass.
00:35:33And it's deemed offside.
00:35:36Well, the closest we've come to a goal just a moment ago, Logan O'Connor.
00:35:40The Colorado fourth line has really good balance.
00:35:44And part of it is O'Connor, who's back after missing most of the season with hip surgery and some
00:35:50complications.
00:35:51Coming back, O'Connor can fly.
00:35:53He beats Hart cleanly and hits the goal post.
00:35:56If you think about it, Vegas' best chance was the breakaway by Keegan Colasar, their fourth line right winger.
00:36:03So two teams that talk about their depth, they almost get a series opening goal from their fourth line.
00:36:09And that fourth line, very dangerous.
00:36:12Jack Drury, the center, and Parker Kelly on the left.
00:36:19That trio would not be the fourth line on most teams.
00:36:23They're strong everywhere, but particularly strong up the middle with these four centers.
00:36:29Bolstered by the return via trade from Nazem Khadri.
00:36:34We'll talk about how they'd won only one playoff series in the previous three playoffs after winning the cup.
00:36:39And as Nathan McKinnon pointed out, they played much of that time without Landis God with a serious leg injury.
00:36:48And they couldn't keep Kadri after they won the cup because of salary cap issues.
00:36:55They weren't the same team that won the Stanley Cup in 2022.
00:37:03Theodore keeps it in.
00:37:05Scaled around.
00:37:06Eichel couldn't get there.
00:37:07Taves trying to backhand it out and pare him to Molenski, and he got it out off the bank.
00:37:16Now Shea Theodore.
00:37:19Tonight is playoff game number 119 in the nine-year history of the Knights.
00:37:24He's played in 118 of them.
00:37:27Missed only one game a few years ago due to illness.
00:37:31That's a pretty darn good first-round pick for Anaheim.
00:37:36That turned out to be a player here in Colorado.
00:37:39Hadry beat Hutton to the puck and managed to get it to the net front.
00:37:46While Colton got away with an elbow here on Carlson right in front of me, and Colasar jumped up in
00:37:51a hurry, telling him to keep his hands down.
00:37:54Puck free, still free, still free, and then Coughlin slid it in to Hart so he could cover it.
00:38:04And Ross Colton's had a tough year this year.
00:38:07The puck never went in for him.
00:38:08You see the elbow go up onto the side of Carlson, and if you watch Colasar, Colasar's going to jump
00:38:14off the bench here.
00:38:15He's number 55.
00:38:16He's right in his ear.
00:38:19And he's like, that's an elbow, and you keep your hands down as Colton draws the ire of the Golden
00:38:26Knights.
00:38:29Oh, this is going to get testy before this series is done.
00:38:37Jack Drury has been the second-best faceoff man in these playoffs at 66% coming into tonight.
00:38:45A clean win right back to Manson.
00:38:47Only shot to Drury of Philadelphia with a higher percentage of his faceoffs.
00:38:53Now Noah Hannafin.
00:38:57Played up by Smith but not out.
00:39:00Was kept in by Kelly.
00:39:03Here's a chance.
00:39:04O'Connor back to the net front.
00:39:05Free puck.
00:39:07Hart's on his back.
00:39:08Some punches being thrown.
00:39:11Nick Dowd wound up and threw a left at Parker Kelly.
00:39:16And a stoppage with two and a half to go, and the action picking up here late in the first
00:39:20period.
00:39:22That's O'Connor again.
00:39:23He's such a fast skater.
00:39:25Powerful, quick first step here.
00:39:27It's the Avs turn this puck over.
00:39:29O'Connor will steal it from Hannafin and take it right to the net.
00:39:32And he goes flying over top of Carter Hart and Rasmus Anderson.
00:39:39Man, the skates are up over top of the crossbar.
00:39:42This is two great chances for O'Connor.
00:39:45And that leads to a scramble in front of the net.
00:39:49And Hart had to hang his ground there to make the stop.
00:39:53Molenski passed up the shot.
00:39:55Now a block by Carlson.
00:39:57Landisgog didn't get it through.
00:39:59And it's banked out by Howden.
00:40:02And Carlson on the limp back to the bench.
00:40:04He took that on the inside of the right foot.
00:40:09Landisgog dumped it in.
00:40:11McNabb will be there first.
00:40:13He took a nudge from Natchez.
00:40:15Molenski kept it in.
00:40:16And he has it back.
00:40:18Threw it to an open point.
00:40:20Now Mitch Marner.
00:40:23First year in Vegas after nine in Toronto.
00:40:27Bad pass.
00:40:28Picked off.
00:40:29Some skating room for Kulak.
00:40:31Brett Kulak trying to turn on his fellow number 27 Theodore.
00:40:36Could not.
00:40:38They just centers.
00:40:40And that went off the skate of Lankanen.
00:40:44He would have been alone out in front if he could have handled it.
00:40:47A couple of times here and something to keep an eye on.
00:40:50As Colorado has done some good work from the bottom of the circle down.
00:40:54And had chances from below the goal line right out to the slot.
00:40:57They almost had another one there.
00:41:01Pile up in the corner.
00:41:02Burns knocked down Eichel.
00:41:04A minute 15 in the period.
00:41:08Lankanen for Nelson.
00:41:09Better get it back to Lankanen.
00:41:12Hannafin broke it up.
00:41:13Did not get it out.
00:41:14Wach kept it in momentarily.
00:41:17Dorothea knocked down from behind by Taves.
00:41:21And now Nelson.
00:41:22Stopped inside the line by Hannafin.
00:41:27Molenski.
00:41:28With Barbashev before checking.
00:41:30And a penalty coming here.
00:41:35Barbashev's going off.
00:41:36As he knocked down Molenski.
00:41:39In the corner.
00:41:41Sarcastic smile from Tornorella who doesn't like to call.
00:41:4649 Vegas got a minor for a hold.
00:41:54Molenski's got the puck.
00:41:56He's going to...
00:41:56He tried to pass it to Lankanen a moment earlier.
00:42:01But Lankanen was changing.
00:42:02He told him to hold it.
00:42:03And there's the penalty.
00:42:05Watch Molenski.
00:42:06He wants to get rid of it here.
00:42:07And Lankanen's turned his back.
00:42:09There's nowhere to go now.
00:42:11Barbashev realizes he's got some room on the forecheck.
00:42:13And he ends up cross-checking, pushing Molenski down.
00:42:17There's Lankanen.
00:42:18Don't give it to me.
00:42:19I'm gassed.
00:42:19And now Molenski's all by himself.
00:42:22Here comes Colorado's first power play.
00:42:24Without McCarr.
00:42:26With Devon Taves running it from the point.
00:42:28A lot of the puck goes to Nazem Kadri on the right half wall.
00:42:35Kadri back.
00:42:36Very familiar, of course, with his avalanche power play.
00:42:40So it's Taves up high.
00:42:43To Natchez.
00:42:45And back for Taves.
00:42:46Natchez a one-timer.
00:42:47Stopped by Hardz.
00:42:50Hard to believe Colorado for much of the year was last in the NHL on the power play with all
00:42:56this firepower.
00:42:57But they were.
00:42:58They finished 27.
00:43:00And it started to get it together a little bit down the stretch.
00:43:06You'd think with Natchez and McKinnon and McCarr and Landis-Gogg that you'd have all kinds of power play goals.
00:43:13But at the end of the day, there's one puck.
00:43:15And they found themselves passing it around the outside looking for a perfect shot.
00:43:20All that got them was 32nd in the league.
00:43:22But this power play is just too good to be that bad.
00:43:28Five for 13 in the second round against Minnesota.
00:43:32Florida after going one for 11 against Los Angeles.
00:43:35It didn't matter.
00:43:35They swept the Kings.
00:43:37Landis-Gogg dropped it back.
00:43:41Kadri fed it to Taves.
00:43:43Now McKinnon.
00:43:43Final seconds of the period.
00:43:45Five seconds of the period.
00:43:47Crown wants a shot.
00:43:48They get one.
00:43:49Rebound.
00:43:49Stopped by Hardz.
00:43:51At the buzzer.
00:43:53Kadri denied.
00:43:57He got shoved down.
00:43:59He was looking at Wes McCauley for a penalty that isn't going to get called.
00:44:05And the power play will continue in the second period for a minute 10.
00:44:08Really good play by Landis-Gogg.
00:44:11Better read by Carter Hart.
00:44:12John Tortorella was telling us Hart has been so good.
00:44:16He's filled belief into this Vegas team.
00:44:20Hart makes a terrific save on Kadri.
00:44:23And Braden McNabb gives a little bit of a left-handed poke to Kadri.
00:44:28No penalty called.
00:44:30And the Avs will start period two on the power play.
00:44:33Also a little embellishment there as well.
00:44:36So perhaps it's best they just left it alone.
00:44:39No score at the end of one.
00:44:41Let's go back to Steve.
00:44:43All right, Sean.
00:44:44Thank you.
00:44:45Eventful first period.
00:44:47Lots of great A's.
00:44:49And lots of great A goaltending.
00:44:51With P.K. Subban, Marc Messier, and Kevin Weeks.
00:44:54I thought both goaltenders, like Scott Wedgwood first half,
00:44:58and then Carter Hart towards the end of the period there.
00:45:00Unbelievable save.
00:45:01He was sharp.
00:45:02Both goaltenders were sharp.
00:45:03But Wedgwood made some insane saves early on in the game.
00:45:07Saves that he had no business making.
00:45:08So the goaltending's on right now.
00:45:10For me, it was very pensive first period.
00:45:14Controlled emotion.
00:45:15Two veteran teams that were almost like two boxers
00:45:18feeling themselves out in the first few rounds
00:45:20to see what was going on.
00:45:21But you can tell this is going to get a little bit hairy
00:45:24as the series goes on a little more.
00:45:26And Ray said it best.
00:45:27This is a powder keg waiting to happen.
00:45:29But that first period was a little bit of a feeling out process.
00:45:31We saw a good elbow, which was not called also,
00:45:34right in front of Ray.
00:45:34What did you see?
00:45:35I thought Vegas had an outstanding road period.
00:45:37Yes, they did.
00:45:37Really good.
00:45:38Save for that one play that let, you know,
00:45:40the little turnover there by Marner.
00:45:41But all things be equal, him included,
00:45:43they had a really outstanding first period.
00:45:45Sets up for an excellent series, huh?
00:45:47Yes, it does.
00:45:47It does.
00:45:48Well, you guys sticking with your predictions, right?
00:45:50Of course you are, Lee.
00:45:51Mine was written in stone weeks ago.
00:45:53Don't act like I'm just making it today.
00:45:54I thought you changed it on Greeny's show.
00:45:55No, no, no, no.
00:45:568 a.m. this morning, I said Vegas, all right?
00:45:59Stephen A. Smith.
00:46:00The Expedia first-in-admission report is next.
00:46:10Turned out to be a period of a couple of different chapters.
00:46:14Vegas in the middle part of the period
00:46:16had the best chances.
00:46:18Colasar breakaway, hurdle shot.
00:46:20Stopped by Wedgwood.
00:46:21This is a really good save by Wedgwood off of Mitch Barner.
00:46:24But as the period went on,
00:46:26the last 10 shot attempts
00:46:28and last 10, 6 shots were by Colorado.
00:46:32Spurned by that fourth line,
00:46:34Logan O'Connor had a great last half of the period.
00:46:38A couple of great chances.
00:46:39And Carter Hart with the best save of the period.
00:46:42As Kadri's shot is denied.
00:46:44Created a little bit of a ruckus
00:46:46when he jammed at the rebound at the end of the period.
00:46:48But scoreless through one,
00:46:50Colorado will start on the power play here in period two.
00:46:54So much speed on that Colorado team, Ray.
00:46:57You'd have to think they're the fastest in the NHL.
00:47:00Although Vegas dispatched two speedy teams in Utah and Anaheim.
00:47:04How much of a concern is the speed for Vegas in this series?
00:47:10The speed is a concern,
00:47:11but what they're really concerned about is if they turn the puck over,
00:47:14that means they have to chase Colorado back to their end.
00:47:18Quite frankly, they're not going to catch them.
00:47:20So we always hear about puck management.
00:47:22In this case, it's really everything for Vegas to kill the Colorado speed.
00:47:30Down to 50 seconds on the barbershop penalty,
00:47:34which the Vegas folks did not like.
00:47:40Kadri to Natchez.
00:47:43Off for McKinnon.
00:47:44And back for Landeskog.
00:47:47At the line, Tames.
00:47:48Manning that spot for Kale McCarr,
00:47:50who just joined us, is not playing tonight.
00:47:53McKinnon's shot was stopped.
00:47:55Shot by Carter Hart.
00:48:00Taves kept it in.
00:48:03McKinnon walking along the wall,
00:48:06down to 15 on the power play.
00:48:08Taves.
00:48:09McKinnon, top of the circle.
00:48:11Stopped by Hart.
00:48:12The rebound cleared by McNabb.
00:48:14Three shots on the power play,
00:48:16and that'll likely be it.
00:48:17It will.
00:48:19As Barbashev
00:48:21is freed from the penalty box.
00:48:24McKinnon comes into this with a six-game goal streak
00:48:29after 53 in the regular season
00:48:32as he won the Rocket Richard Trophy,
00:48:35being the league's leading goal scorer
00:48:37for the first time in his career.
00:48:40Burns, and that's blockered into the corner by heart.
00:48:43Brock Nelson has some room.
00:48:45Then, Marner moved in.
00:48:48Burns centered.
00:48:48And a good stick by Noah Hannafin.
00:48:57Banked around.
00:48:58And it comes to Burns and played out by Lackanen,
00:49:01sent back by Ben Hutton.
00:49:04That third deep here didn't play a lot
00:49:06in the first period for John Tortorella.
00:49:09They're out there now.
00:49:10Hutton with Coughlin.
00:49:12Here's Dylan Coughlin.
00:49:16And now it's pitched out by Lackanen,
00:49:18hoping for Wah.
00:49:20The last time these teams played in the playoffs in 2021,
00:49:23he played for Vegas.
00:49:25Dowd a shot.
00:49:26That's blocked out in front.
00:49:27Then he got knocked down.
00:49:29Burns is without his stick.
00:49:31And it shouldn't matter as Drury
00:49:33sends it across.
00:49:35Burns had to go get his stick.
00:49:36Wedgwood was knocked into the net.
00:49:38He had to turn around and pick up his stick.
00:49:41Looked like a bit of a yard sale
00:49:43around the Colorado cage.
00:49:47This time it's Vegas' fourth line
00:49:51that puts a little pressure on him.
00:49:54Dowd's going to shoot the puck
00:49:55and Wedgwood's making the save.
00:49:58Oh, there goes Lackanen.
00:49:59Knocks Wedgwood in.
00:50:00He's got no stick.
00:50:01Burns his sticks over in the corner.
00:50:03And somehow out of all of that,
00:50:05the Avalanche were able to escape that mess.
00:50:14Hurdle and Drury.
00:50:16This one won by Hurdle.
00:50:17Right back to Theodore
00:50:18for a shot right on.
00:50:20Handled by Wedgwood.
00:50:21Here's Emily Kaplan.
00:50:23What John Tortorella loves most about Mitch Marner
00:50:25is his fearlessness.
00:50:27He's not afraid to make plays.
00:50:28I just caught up with the Vegas coaching staff
00:50:30and they said stylistically,
00:50:31this feels very similar to the Anaheim series.
00:50:34A great pace.
00:50:35But they've had some talks with Marner
00:50:37and the entire team
00:50:37about just managing the puck better.
00:50:40Ten giveaways in the first period.
00:50:42That was the only thing preventing them
00:50:43from what they felt was a great road period.
00:50:46One of the things when you're as talented as Marner
00:50:48and most super talented guys think this,
00:50:52they always believe they can make the next play.
00:50:55And so where there's not really much room,
00:50:57most guys would just chip it in the corner.
00:50:59They try to make that play.
00:51:00And they're often successful,
00:51:02but if they turn it over,
00:51:03now you've got to chase back.
00:51:05Another win by Hurdle
00:51:06against the excellent faceoff man Drury.
00:51:11And by the way,
00:51:12it was kind of,
00:51:13I don't want to say cute,
00:51:14but Torch affectionately calls him Mitchie.
00:51:18There's a hand pass.
00:51:21Kelly was all alone in the slot about to fire,
00:51:24but it came to him via hand pass.
00:51:28Gives us time for some numbers about Mitchie.
00:51:31Powered by the SAP Coaching Insights app.
00:51:3518 points in now 13 games.
00:51:38This is the 13th.
00:51:39He's the leader in the playoffs
00:51:40in points by three.
00:51:42In 70 games with Toronto,
00:51:45under a point per game.
00:51:46Only six goals in the 31 playoff games
00:51:49the last three years.
00:51:50And he really became kind of the person
00:51:55who, Ray, got a lot of the blame
00:51:58for the failures of Toronto in the playoffs.
00:52:01There was plenty to go around,
00:52:03but he took the brunt of it.
00:52:06And he's gone this year, of course,
00:52:08and Toronto imploded without him.
00:52:11They sure did.
00:52:18And now McKinnon and Molenski couldn't rescue it.
00:52:22Dorothea racing after it,
00:52:24so Wedgwood way out of the net
00:52:25to play it ahead.
00:52:27Here's McKinnon.
00:52:29Cuts to the middle and missed the net.
00:52:32Oh, in the blink of an eye,
00:52:33he's right to a dangerous spot.
00:52:35One of the great skaters in the world.
00:52:37Now 30 years old and getting better by the year.
00:52:42He says he's just hitting his prime.
00:52:48It's hard to argue with the season he has had.
00:52:51Here's Carlson.
00:52:53Dropped it back to our fair.
00:52:55That hit Molenski wound up in the corner.
00:52:57Sent along by Taves, handled by Kadri.
00:53:01Nate just with some room and some speed.
00:53:04He turns around the net.
00:53:07Centers it.
00:53:07Broken up.
00:53:08But kept in.
00:53:10That's a line by Kulak.
00:53:14Played for Edmonton, Pittsburgh,
00:53:16and now Colorado this year.
00:53:19Been in the Western Conference Final
00:53:21four of the last five years.
00:53:23It's almost like,
00:53:24oh, the season doesn't end in May
00:53:26for everybody else.
00:53:28For Kulak, it does.
00:53:29Good fortune to be on teams that got there.
00:53:31Save off the shot by Kadri.
00:53:33It's still free.
00:53:34Hart couldn't cover it.
00:53:36Manson a wrister.
00:53:37And another stop by Hart.
00:53:58Another good save by Hart.
00:53:59Hart has got to fight through some traffic.
00:54:01Look how quickly you mentioned
00:54:02McKinnon gets into the rush.
00:54:04Wedgwood chips this puck up.
00:54:05Taves drops it into the speeding McKinnon.
00:54:08And really in a heartbeat,
00:54:10this goes from a nothing burger
00:54:13to a scoring chance.
00:54:14Man, he turns around.
00:54:16McNabb was like,
00:54:17oh boy, I'm in the wrong spot.
00:54:18Here's the Manson shot.
00:54:20It's probably going wide.
00:54:21But of course, Hart's got to play it.
00:54:23It comes off of this scramble
00:54:25and Hart fights through that traffic,
00:54:28finds it,
00:54:28makes a really sturdy glove save.
00:54:31And here he is again.
00:54:35Another start,
00:54:36another solid performance for Carter Hart.
00:54:38He's made 32 saves back to game six
00:54:42in Anaheim when they wrapped up that series.
00:54:45He was at his best in both series-clinching games.
00:54:48Gave up one goal
00:54:49in the series-ender against Utah
00:54:52and one as they dispatched Anaheim.
00:54:58Wah, a clean face-off win
00:55:00and a shot right on by Burns.
00:55:02Handled by Hart.
00:55:04That is one of Brent Burns' things
00:55:06he's been doing for 1,500 games.
00:55:09He does not miss the net.
00:55:10He shoots it.
00:55:11That thing's on the target
00:55:12and it creates some traffic.
00:55:15Burns back to play it.
00:55:17It comes to the middle to Wah.
00:55:21Ahead.
00:55:22And sent in deeper.
00:55:28Jack Eshawn is out there on defense.
00:55:32Basically, the sixth defenseman
00:55:34hasn't played much tonight.
00:55:3722 career regular season games
00:55:39in the NHL for Eshawn at age 29.
00:55:43And this is his third playoff game.
00:55:45Here's Taves.
00:55:46That hit hard up high.
00:55:47Wound up in the corner for Parker Kelly.
00:55:50Scaled around all kinds of room.
00:55:52Manson lets it go.
00:55:53That was blocked at the dot by Dowd.
00:55:56And he lofted it up.
00:55:57Sent back by Taves to O'Connor.
00:56:01Here comes that fourth line.
00:56:03Buzzing again for the abs.
00:56:05Drury.
00:56:08With Anderson closing in.
00:56:10Back at the line.
00:56:13Molenski played it off to Taves.
00:56:15And then the pass hopped over the stick of Molenski.
00:56:20It's been a pretty good push here at the start of the second period for Colorado
00:56:24after they finished the first period on the front foot as well.
00:56:29Natchez.
00:56:32Molenski still out there trying to center it.
00:56:34Carter Hart got his stick out there.
00:56:37Now Barbashev and it winds up with Theodore with some room.
00:56:40Kulak gets back.
00:56:41Centered for Carlson.
00:56:43Who couldn't get a stick on it and was smothered by Wedgwood.
00:56:52No score for some of the great players in the world in Game 1
00:56:58of the Western Conference Final.
00:57:06To Denver.
00:57:08So 2020, the COVID bubble.
00:57:10Scott Wedgwood gets called up to Tampa to be there.
00:57:12Practice goalie after a so-so year in the AHL.
00:57:15He was unsure of where his career was going.
00:57:17Well, he became the last player they handed the Stanley Cup to
00:57:20after there was no one else to give it to.
00:57:22And then Wedgwood didn't know what to do with it.
00:57:24So he goes to the captain, Stephen Stamkos here.
00:57:26And Stamkos says, no, you give it to Coach John Cooper.
00:57:29Wedgwood said, well, I'd have to introduce myself to him first.
00:57:33I talked to Wedgwood this morning and he said,
00:57:35that moment, that experience changed the trajectory of his career.
00:57:38He's been in the NHL ever since.
00:57:40Well, not long ago, he had two full seasons in the AHL.
00:57:45Great study and perseverance.
00:57:49Hey, Coach, I'm Scott.
00:57:51Here's the cup.
00:57:54Theodore Schott.
00:57:56Handled by Wedgwood.
00:57:59Parts of eight seasons in the AHL.
00:58:04He's played for five different teams.
00:58:06He's got two stints with New Jersey and two with Arizona.
00:58:10But had his best season by far this year, including leading the NHL in the regular season,
00:58:17both goals against and save percentage.
00:58:20I don't think anybody saw that coming.
00:58:22Both Vegas and Colorado do the same thing.
00:58:24They see a weakness.
00:58:25They attack it.
00:58:26They go try and fix it.
00:58:27And Colorado's goaltending with Georgiev and on and in a couple of years ago wasn't very good.
00:58:32In ten days, they traded for Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgwood.
00:58:36Minor out in front.
00:58:37A great opportunity for Howden.
00:58:39Stopped by Wedgwood.
00:58:41On cue.
00:58:42That's his best stop.
00:58:46And Carter Hart at the other end, a difference maker as well.
00:58:50Their goaltending was subpar most of the year while he was hurt.
00:58:55In our open, we talked about how Marner's game makes other people better.
00:59:00Watch where Howden goes.
00:59:01He goes across the front of the net and a miscommunication.
00:59:04Those two guys standing together, those are the Avs defensemen.
00:59:08And Taves and Malinsky, who don't normally play together, nobody went to Howden.
00:59:13And he's got a point-blank chance off of Marner's pass.
00:59:16That's a verbal switch that has to be called as Howden's going across.
00:59:22Malinsky, the defenseman in the middle, he's got to accept him.
00:59:25Not let him get across the front of the net.
00:59:29Noah Hannafin off the draw.
00:59:30Sends it on net.
00:59:31Looked like he got tipped in the circle by Carlson.
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00:59:50When they got Mitch Marner, Bruce Cassidy at the beginning of the year said,
00:59:55we're going to move him around, have him play with different people, see how it works.
00:59:58He never really got a chance to play him much with Carlson because Carlson played only 14 games and got
01:00:03hurt.
01:00:04But this line has been terrific since Carlson came back at the start of that Anaheim series.
01:00:11Shot on, turned aside.
01:00:14Good chance for Kelly.
01:00:16Now it comes outside.
01:00:18It really was Kulak, 27, not 17.
01:00:20Kelly.
01:00:21Poked along by Hannafin.
01:00:23And skated out by Carlson.
01:00:26Out there with Marner.
01:00:30And the other thing that Torch said he liked about this line, Ray, is that Marner, in his words, never
01:00:35shuts up.
01:00:36So it helps that Howden and Carlson are pretty quiet.
01:00:40There is an energy to the way Marner plays the game.
01:00:43And what he does is he makes players, as I mentioned, around him better.
01:00:46Such a tremendous passer.
01:00:48When you watch him carry the puck, his eyes are always scanning.
01:00:51He's always looking for the next play in the movie, where it might be.
01:00:55And so in William Carlson, when they get him back, that allows Marner, who had played center this year,
01:01:01which is a really difficult thing for a winger to do.
01:01:04It allowed Carlson to go to the middle, Marner to go out to the wing again.
01:01:08And that line's really hit.
01:01:14You have to think the pressure for him in Toronto amplified because he's from Toronto as well, the hometown kid.
01:01:21No longer a kid.
01:01:23Having a magnificent year in his first season with Vegas.
01:01:30They won the division.
01:01:32Did Vegas.
01:01:34Look just.
01:01:3895 points.
01:01:40Here's Natchez.
01:01:43That's 26 points fewer than the President's Trophy winning Colorado Avalanche.
01:01:49With a franchise record 121.
01:01:52The 26-point difference is the largest in a conference final since 1996.
01:01:59The Red Wings had 132 points.
01:02:01They faced the Avalanche with 104 in the Western Conference final.
01:02:05And the Avs wound up winning in six en route to their first Stanley Cup.
01:02:12In their first year here.
01:02:21The quest begins with the Buffalo Sabres.
01:02:24Believe in yourself.
01:02:25Believe in your teammate.
01:02:26Go behind the scenes with one team.
01:02:28It's all about this hunger.
01:02:30For each round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
01:02:32Quest for the Stanley Cup.
01:02:34Only on NHL YouTube.
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01:02:42Use code skate to get in on the action.
01:02:45Still awaiting the first goal of game one of this Western Conference final.
01:02:49Nearly midway through.
01:02:51Sean McDonough.
01:02:51Ray Farrell.
01:02:52Emily Kaplan.
01:02:53Our rules expert is Dave Jackson.
01:02:56And Wedgwood's going to hang on with a couple of Golden Knights nearby.
01:03:02The grind to this game is real.
01:03:05We've seen the back and forth where Colorado had a good start.
01:03:08Then the Avs got pushed back on their heels.
01:03:11And Vegas took over.
01:03:12We had a couple of really good chances for Vegas.
01:03:14Then the Avs took over late in the second.
01:03:16Early.
01:03:17Or late first.
01:03:18Early second.
01:03:19Now it's Colorado's turn to defend.
01:03:22Vegas is up on their toes again.
01:03:24It's kind of a little bit like a boxing match right now as they trade body blows and try and
01:03:29soften the other up.
01:03:32Carlson on the draw with Kelly.
01:03:35Carlson one of the original Vegas Golden Knights.
01:03:41He has the puck and has some room behind the net.
01:03:44Tries to center it for Marner.
01:03:45Instead it wound up with Coghlan who snapped it wide.
01:03:49O'Connor got it to Drury.
01:03:51And rink wide for Kulak.
01:03:53Trying to advance it into the zone past Coghlan.
01:03:56And he did.
01:03:57O'Connor.
01:03:59Got there but couldn't take it away from Hutton.
01:04:01Long pass ahead for Howden.
01:04:03Got turned back over.
01:04:04And then the puck was lost by Manson.
01:04:07But Vegas couldn't capitalize.
01:04:09Coghlan dumps it in and they change.
01:04:15Colorado without Kale McCarr tonight battling a couple of injuries shoulder that's bugged him for a while.
01:04:23Centering pass that got deflected off the back wall.
01:04:29That's the second playoff game McCarr has missed in his career.
01:04:33The other was in 2023.
01:04:35At Seattle he missed a game.
01:04:37He was suspended for an interference penalty.
01:04:42They're hopefully going to return for game two which is Friday night from right here in Denver.
01:04:48We're midway through the game now.
01:04:50No score.
01:04:51And the shots pretty even.
01:04:5317-15 in favor of Colorado.
01:04:58McNabb couldn't handle the puck.
01:05:01Bodies bounce and now Dorothea played it off for Eichel.
01:05:06Tried to split a couple of abs.
01:05:08It slides in the Wedgwood and he's going to smother it.
01:05:13The Stanley Cup playoffs on ESPN presented by Geico are brought to you by Great Clips.
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