Avalanche vs Golden Knights R3G1 Pregame LIVE | Guerilla Sports

Added: 2026-05-26

[00:00:00]Hey, what's going on everybody? Welcome in. Welcome in. Welcome to the Western Conference final. The Colorado Avalanche and Golden Knights are skating in game one here in about two hours. I'm Jesse Montano, she's Megan Angley. We're here in the Gorilla Sports studio just down the road from Ball Arena. So, we'll be here getting you all ready and then we are heading over there. Megan, how are you doing? We got a great show lined up here. We got Luca from Bardown coming on in just a minute.

[00:00:31]How are you doing? You staying dry?

[00:00:34]Kind of. It really started pouring out there. We're already getting texts from the other colleagues in the media that the lot's getting full. So, I'm excited. I'm nervous, but mostly excited.

[00:00:46]>> I'm going to give Colleen publicly a hard time here for she is always the first one there. She gets to the game two, if not two and a half hours early.

[00:00:56]And that's dedication. So, shout out to our girl from Colleen our girl from Colleen. It's like Beyonce. It's kind of our girl.

[00:01:03]>> Right. Right. It's the same.

[00:01:05]It's the same thing.

[00:01:06]Megan, we are about to have Luca jumping on. Before we bring him in, is there anything that you just wanted to get to from today or anything like that or should we just should we just bring our guy in?

[00:01:18]>> We should bring our guy in.

[00:01:19]>> All right. Here he is. Great friend of the show, Luca.

[00:01:24]How are you doing, man? How are things going? Western Conference final.

[00:01:28]I'm nervous. I've got I've got like these pregame jitters. I I just had like my my second espresso in the last like two hours. It'll probably be like two more before the game. So, I'm doing good, though. How are you guys doing?

[00:01:41]Good. Yeah, no complain other than I could use a little bit less rain here, but you know what? That's small price to pay.

[00:01:48]But yeah, Luca Celebre from Bardown does such great work. I was so lucky to be able to run into you earlier through year uh in Salt Lake.

[00:01:57]So, just great to see you in person, but uh Luka, I guess let's just start here.

[00:02:03]Uh where are you at? Avs, Golden Knights, no Makar for tonight. So, just how are you feeling about about how this one goes and really just the series as a whole?

[00:02:12]Well, you guys are doing such amazing work. I've been following along with everything, the questions you guys ask in every media availability. I've been watching every one of them, and just want to sing your praises because you both do such fantastic job.

[00:02:25]I'm I'm excited. I'm nervous. With Cale out, it's it's obviously a big blow.

[00:02:32]But, him not being 100% and you could tell in the kind of tail end of the Minnesota series. So, anytime that he gets to get healthy is going to be welcomed. And if there's anything that this Avs team does really well, it's it's kind of this next man up depth that we've all been accustomed to seeing.

[00:02:48]Like everyone plays a role on this team.

[00:02:51]They're so deep for a reason. Malinsky's back, which is obviously huge. And I feel like Taves has gone really under the radar. He's had such a fantastic post season so far. So, I expect just him to be really really good tonight.

[00:03:04]And then a guy like Brett Kulak is probably going to play more than more than we haven't been accustomed to seeing, even though he's played a ton already this post season. And Jared has kind of leaned on him. So, I'm excited to see what the decor looks like without Cale and if they can rise to the challenge because it's going to be a big one.

[00:03:22]Yeah.

[00:03:23]Yeah, I think that there's been discussion already about how that top power play unit will shape out. And I think thankfully this hasn't been a playoffs that has been decided by special teams as much as we've seen in years previous. But, the power play has been important for the Avs to get going.

[00:03:40]Who do you think replaces Cale Makar on that top unit? Ooh, it's tough.

[00:03:46]Because that 6 on 5 scenario just gives me the pause of like do they put Brent Burns just to get some more shots through because that's the one thing he does so well, or do they just go with a reliable option in Taves, which I I think you can't go wrong with. I think I'd probably lean toward Taves, but I would would kind of welcome seeing Burns on there just because he is so good at getting like every puck through no matter what. I feel like that's an element that Cale's really good at as well, and so if you're looking for maybe a a close to one of one replacement, that's that's kind of it. think? Well, well, I was just about to say cuz we talked about the fact that and obviously Cale's dealing with the injury and all that stuff in game five, but we we talked about the fact like I don't think that's insignificant that it was Brent Burns. Like that, you know, he you know you don't have to tell that guy twice to shoot. And like this >> [laughter] >> this power play, I feel like at times over the course of the season like Megan and I have talked about like it seems silly given that you got Nathan MacKinnon and Marty Necas and you know, when he's healthy Cale Makar out there, but there is felt like a reluctancy to shoot. So I actually like the Brent Burns suggestion. And then obviously I Malinski's the other one if you want to stick with a righty. Yep. Um but so you know, Luke, the one thing that I'm that is on my radar a little bit that I'm worried about in this series is the short-handed goals.

[00:05:06]Like Vegas has been good short-handed.

[00:05:09]So that's almost where my brain is going is like, all right, well, I maybe feel the most comfortable with Devon Toews there just in terms of like being being responsible and being the adult in the room at the blue line.

[00:05:18]Completely agree.

[00:05:20]They've had it practices without Cale Makar. It has been Taves at the top unit. So I think it's a safe bet and it's for the same reason you just mentioned. I think with respect to how aggressive that PK is for Vegas and the way the Avs like to create on the power play, though I hope that that's back of mind so that they don't send one pass too many at risk of a broken play going the other way. I trust Taves the most to get back. And we've seen Malinski Burns on that second unit. I think for the balance then of the shooting instinct of Burns and the mobility of someone like Malinsky to get back if needed.

[00:05:55]>> Yeah.

[00:05:56]Luca, I would love your perspective.

[00:06:00]Because we going into that last series against Minnesota, >> [snorts] >> I from from where I was sitting and granted look, we we you can't consume every podcast, right? You can't read every article. But it felt like outside of Colorado, there were not a lot of people picking Colorado over Minnesota.

[00:06:19]Like I saw a lot of the oh, there the Avs are untested, Minnesota's going to catch them. And that just so clearly wasn't the case. Now, I've seen a lot more love shown for the Avs against Vegas here, but just what are what is your what are you hearing from the people around you? You know, like there's a lot of hockey, you know, being talked about all around you all the time. What what is the outside perspective on where the Avs are who the Avs are, I guess, right now?

[00:06:44]Yeah, I think I think the Minnesota one was so interesting where like people put a lot of stock into what they saw in LA and I I just feel like the Minnesota one was a good reminder that this Avs team is really really really good. And I think it's swung back the other way now and people might be underrating Vegas a little more and are saying like oh, maybe like Avs in five or Avs in in four and this might be like a quick series. But I think Nate said it best where it's like they're expecting a seven-game series. And no doubt like this is probably a combination of the two teams they've played where like LA is so heavy defensively, Minnesota's got a lot of skill. Vegas kind of combines the best of both worlds and has so much center depth that it poses like a completely different challenge. So, I think most people are picking the Avs, but I think that maybe if you think it's going to be a quick series, it probably won't be cuz this Vegas team is just so deep and so talented as well.

[00:07:40]Are are the folks in Toronto having just a totally normal one with all this Mitch Marner stuff?

[00:07:45]Yeah, every every day it's just like cuz [laughter] he is just doing something incredible every night. And so every single day it's like the one that got away and Mitch Marner and what he's doing now. I I think they're reacting Yeah, like you said, normally normally.

[00:08:00]>> [laughter] >> What's your take on it? Is this just who Marner was always meant to be? Is it sustainable for him?

[00:08:08]I've always been the biggest Mitch Marner like defender and supporter because like I'm not a Leafs fan and I've worked with a lot of Leafs fans obviously. And so like it and you know what? This Avs team's kind of a good example of it where like the star players have always shown up even in the short playoff runs, but it's all about results, right? And so the the Leafs not being able to advance past the first round or his point production in like games five to seven of his career in the playoffs has been like greatly talked about. And so I've always been of the opinion though that like he's such a valuable player and he's always played really well. And the numbers might not be there, but it's like a whole team thing with Toronto. And now he's just kind of playing freer and doing what his talent level is kind of matching. I don't know how as far as like the goal scoring, he's already got four more goals than he's ever had in the playoffs. So I'm like that's something unexpected. But the short-handedness of it all where he's so good on on his own end of the ice and how creative he is, you're seeing all of it, which is really fun to see I think for him and validating for him as well in a way.

[00:09:10]When you hear people talk about the center depth for Vegas, how do you think that changes things for the Avs in something that they haven't quite seen yet?

[00:09:19]I'm curious to hear your guys's take on this as well because I I think without Stone like I was I was kind of arguing it in my head of like which injury is bigger to start the series.

[00:09:31]Like is it Cale being out or is it Stone being out because coming in like everyone is just talking about the center depth and how great the center depth is on Vegas, but without Stone, I I think there's a glaring hole.

[00:09:46]And Eichel's really good, but the top lines are going to match up, and so if they wash out, I trust the Avs depth a lot more. Granted, Cale's an outstanding player, but he's also been playing hurt, and so we haven't even seen kind of the best version of himself, so I I think that with Stone, it's a much greater challenge. Without him, I'm actually not as worried, and maybe that's foolish. I don't know. Where do you guys kind of fall on that, with and without Stone?

[00:10:12]Uh I I'm right with you. Like I look, I think Cale Makar is such a massive part of this Avalanche team, obviously, right? You know, Logan O'Connor said today, he's the best defenseman in the world. You can't just replace that. But, I I'm with you, Luke. Like as it relates as it relates, excuse me, to this match-up, like Vegas is going to be leaning on Mark Stone, and assuming he comes back in this series, like they are going to be leaning on him to shut down some of those top guys for the Avs, to to to try to neutralize a lot of what the Avs top six heavy skill is able to do. And like that's what Mark Stone is really good at.

[00:10:52]If they don't have him, like I I'm with you, like I trust the the overall construction of the roster and the Avs depth more to be able to fill in for Cale Makar, rather than what Vegas is going to ask out of Mark Stone, if that makes sense.

[00:11:08]Yeah.

[00:11:08]>> I think it makes a lot of sense. I think something that is huge in what Mark Stone brings is how few mistakes he makes and how he leads by example in that way. And to me, this series is going to be decided by the team that makes the fewest mistakes. And so, I think that it's going to be two teams defending really hard against each other. That top six match-up, I think they're going to do a really great job of neutralizing one another. and when I think about the way that Vegas has scored through these playoffs it's been capitalizing on the mistakes of younger teams like Anaheim in particular and so I do think maybe without someone like Stone who really mitigates mistakes can paper over them that might leave a little bit of a door cracked open for the Avs to take advantage of opportunistically but it's such a little crack.

[00:11:55]>> Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I think it's a huge impact when he's in the lineup because there's Avs are really going to have to fight for their chances.

[00:12:03]>> Mhm.

[00:12:05]Uh Luka look we you know we're we're lucky you know we get to be around these guys every day so you're you're kind of in it but Jared Bednar made an interesting comment I think it was yesterday.

[00:12:15]Where you know he said like a lot of people look at this and and say you know like oh they're they're they're eight and one through two rounds it's really hasn't been that bad. I just want to know for for you what have what have these first couple rounds been like where um I mean the Avs really have kind of been in control um from from the outset of the postseason you've had some games in there that have been tough um you know that that that LA series I don't think was anywhere near as easy as people made it out to be but uh just just for you what have these games been like how you know what's this run been like?

[00:12:47]It's been really fun I I it's been fun seeing the different ways they've been able to win right and I know that they've talked about that a lot and that's kind of been something that when I know people are kind of looking at the Vegas series from 2021 and trying to compare the the storyline going in where like the Avs were the heavy favorites and they won the first two and then lost four in a row and this Vegas team their identity is still kind of similar right but I I feel like that's been the most enjoyable part is watching how that LA series everyone was kind of like wait what they're not scoring that much like what's what's wrong with this team and then it was just like just just wait till the match up is not like a a team just literally trying to play defense and maybe score once a game. Like then we'll see how open it gets and then you see what they can do in a track meet in game one and then you also see what they can do coming back because they're so dangerous. But not getting frustrated as well in some games. Like it's such a different mindset and I guess that's what winning the cup does. It it shows you how to win those games but obviously the frustrations have been there the past few years. So I think it's really cool to see the different ways that they're winning, the different players that they're leaning on, how calm they seem in this moment and the pedigree that they all have and even just how light they've been. Like I've I've been really enjoying just how like even Nate just cracking some jokes and stuff. Like it just [laughter] doesn't happen in the Western Conference final for your second appearance. So and like I like you guys kind of mentioned, you've been around and I'm sure you can attest to that a little more than I can as well of just the attitude that they kind of seem to have or it's like job's not done yet but it also doesn't seem like crazy crazy serious where as fans it's obviously like when you lose once the sky is absolutely falling.

[00:14:33]I I made the comment to Megan after game three. We're doing like our pre-game for game four of this Minnesota the Minnesota series and I said if you went only based off of Twitter Yeah. you would think the Avs are down three nothing in this series when they're actually up two to one just based on the way everyone reacted to the one loss. So to your point like there's a lot of people out there that yeah one loss is the end of the world.

[00:14:57]>> [laughter] >> What do you think can be an X-factor for the Avs in this series? I like this. I like this.

[00:15:04]Um oh man, there's so many.

[00:15:08]>> [laughter] [snorts] >> I think we've yet to kind of see the the offense from well, someone actually just just commented up there but like I think I think Val has looked good and he's he's just not getting as rewarded probably offensively.

[00:15:24]Um, but I think that him and Nelson in particular, where you're looking up and down the lineup and you've got a lot of offensive production from a lot of different pieces.

[00:15:32]Um, and even if they just play as well defensively as they had throughout the playoffs, I think you'd be happy if you're an Avs fan, but I think there is a little more there to give with them and I think that that has the potential to kind of be a massive X-factor in this series given that they've been pretty quiet throughout and Brock Nelson especially obviously, you know, the goal scoring prowess that he has. So, that's kind of my my lean. What about you guys?

[00:15:55]Where where do you lean on like an X-factor for this series?

[00:15:59]You had a good You had a good one. I've already asked Jesse this question.

[00:16:02]>> [laughter] >> Okay. Okay.

[00:16:05]Um, look, you know, I I I like you said Luke, like I think there's a lot of guys that that you could point to and and truthfully, like I I I I think I actually think the Avs need the two guys that you just listed to get through this series. Like, they've both been great away from the puck, but you need to see them get going. My X-factor and it it feels like low-hanging fruit, so I even feel kind of lame for it, but to me, man, it's it's Scott Laughton or or whichever goaltender you're playing on that night. Like, I I look at this series and and I thought against Minnesota the opportunity that the Avs had was the center depth, right? Like, if you can if you can really lean on them with with how deep you are at center, you could maybe make this an easier series for you than it needs to be. And I think the same thing is true in this series in net.

[00:16:52]I think if you can get if you're the Avs and you can get to Carter Hart and and you know, you can get him back to looking more like he did in the regular season than he has on you know, on this you know, couple round heater he's on and maybe you force him out and it's Aiden Hill. If you can get to that, you know, part of this series and and you can really put some doubt in the goaltending for Vegas, like I think that would be the the one path to the Avs where I see it maybe being a little bit of a quicker series. I'm with you from from earlier. Like I think this is one that's probably destined for six or seven.

[00:17:24]Um but I think the goaltending could be the difference if if Scott Wedgewood can look more like he did in round one and the Avs offense can get to Carter Hart.

[00:17:33]Like I think this could could have the potential of a of a short series in the making.

[00:17:39]I am I have kind of two which is cheating and then it becomes three. So I'm going to also throw in this guy.

[00:17:45]>> [laughter] >> The first one isn't much of an X-factor because it's Martin Nečas and he's a hundred point player. It's hard to say that that guy would surprise you if he had a big impact on this series. But it's his toolkit that I think could translate really well to creating opportunities against Vegas specifically because of how heavy physical their D are and defending the interior. I do think it's going to be harder for the Avs to get those types of opportunities.

[00:18:10]But I think Marty is really good at skating pucks through traffic and getting to the interior. He's not always willing to do that. Um so one, I don't mind him just leaning on his shot threat more as well. But I want to see him skating pucks through traffic because I do think it's a strength of his and that is a way to maybe get in front of Vegas's D cuz it is going to be a little bit of a challenge just with respect to how big they are. And then the other is Sam Malinski because of the injury to Cale Makar. I think that he adds offense from the back end um that will be well represented in him especially without a player like Cale Makar. And both Martin Nečas and Sam Malinski had really good regular season games against Vegas. And for Malinski, I think it's because he flies a little bit under the uh radar in terms of being a threat that Vegas has to contain.

[00:18:57]The the the Sam Malinski one I think is a great answer. Like he's I mean we've talked about a bunch. Like you know, he's he's he's a little mini Makar out there and and you know, he he can go a long way maybe for for Villanen for that. Um Luka, what what we're going to let you go here in just a minute. Um, we there's a lot of love for you in the chat right now. There's a lot of Luca love, a lot of Bardown love.

[00:19:20]Um, so I my I guess first question is are there any maybe plans if if the Avs get through this round to to see out here?

[00:19:28]Yes, absolutely. I've already like my dad, I mean we we were in in Colorado for the Western Conference Final. I was doing some stuff with the team last time they were here and that was amazing. So, regardless of if it's like media or just with my dad watching the game, like I will be there if they advance to the Cup Final, absolutely, for sure, 100%. All right. Well, amazing. Luca, honestly, we we would love to have you back on as as much as you're available for the rest of this series.

[00:19:59]And then if the Avs get get through here, we we we're going to have to have you in studio.

[00:20:04]We we always love chatting with you, man, and and the people love you. Our chat's been blowing up this whole time.

[00:20:08]>> We could probably go all day. I I would love to. I Like I said, I love the work you both do. You're both outstanding and I love the opportunity anytime to to chat with you and and see you guys anywhere. So, whenever you want me to come on, I am free, absolutely. And hopefully they make it to the Cup Final so we can do this in person, for sure.

[00:20:26]Yes, absolutely. Well, that's there's there's a reason alone to root for it, right?

[00:20:31]>> [laughter] >> If you want to hear him in the studio.

[00:20:33]Thank you so much. You can find all of his work over on Bardown. Anything that you want to plug that you guys got going right now?

[00:20:39]Uh, not at the moment, but we appreciate all the love. We've been trying to be a little more active during the playoffs.

[00:20:44]We're we're busy, but but it's been fun and yeah, just appreciate all the love in general and enjoy the game tonight, guys. Yeah, thanks, Luca. You as well.

[00:20:53]Check him out over on Bardown. Luca Celebre, we'll talk to you later. See you.

[00:20:58]All right. Always love chatting with Luca and just getting that cuz he's great because he's got like like an an outside-inside perspective, you know, where like he pays attention to the abs, but he gets to be like he's in a market that doesn't care about the abs, so he gets to hear all those perspectives and you and I just talked to you like I always love hearing what other markets have to say about this team that you and I are, you know, this close to every day. It's nice to sometimes get that step back perspective. Yeah, I think he does have a unique perspective. Most like national perspectives don't watch the abs on a nightly basis.

[00:21:34]>> Right. And I think that he's so much more plugged in while being connected to what the commentary is from national side of things.

[00:21:42]>> Hold on, my dad's calling me. Hey, Dad, I'm on a live show previewing the game.

[00:21:46]All right, well, you can just listen there and I'll talk to you there.

[00:21:50]>> [laughter] >> Is this about Brent Burns again?

[00:21:54]>> [laughter] >> Well, it's always one of those things where like my dad never calls. So, when my dad calls, I'm like, all right, this is either about Brent Burns or something's wrong.

[00:22:01]>> about Brent Burns Uh But yes, like you said, it's it's just like you were saying about, you know, being in Toronto and and just hearing what folks have to say. Um there. Megan, how how are you feeling about this game one tonight? No Cale Makar. Um it looks like Mark Stone likely isn't going to go given that he got in work with the scratches this morning when no one else skated. Um but whether Mark Stone is in or out, I guess just how are you feeling about tonight?

[00:22:35]Yeah, I feel good. Um not an over confidence though, anything crazy. And I also Never mind, I won't say that last part, but No, it's like you have to. I was thinking of Minnesota game one, I was like, surely it won't be >> [laughter] >> nine to six. Like surely it won't be a crazy game like that. So, I guess I shouldn't say that, but it's a tone setting opportunity for the abs to dictate the way the the rest of this series will go without Cale Makar. Not to say that he won't make a return, but kind of delivering a message of we're still a really strong team even without Cale Makar. And so I think that next man up mentality, them being able to step up and rally around the fact that he might not be available to them tonight, but they're really complete teams even still just because of their depth. Um, I think that's important.

[00:23:26]Like Parker Kelly talked with us this morning about the mental warfare. He was great, by the way. I hate to cut Megan off, but in order to plug a Parker Kelly interview, I think she'll allow it.

[00:23:37]Go >> Sustained. Go go to the Gorilla Sports uh Twitter or YouTube and check out the interview with Parker Kelly this morning. Uh he he was fantastic. Gorilla Sports exclusive. He was great.

[00:23:47]And looking at mental warfare, um and Gabriel Landeskog talking about getting to an opponent, I think there is so much more around message sending than in the playoffs than maybe we talk about, unpack enough. Um, so to me it is significant for them to have a good start and be steady in their game, too.

[00:24:05]I really I don't want to see too many ups and downs. I I think I want them to turn in a pretty consistent product from start to finish. Um, and that's when they play their best hockey. Like the mistakes made against Minnesota were when they got baited out of their structure. And that's when they lose assignments, and you just can't afford to do that against Vegas. So I think when they're bought in, they're really good at doing this. Um, and that's also when depth is able to break through just because it can really wear a team down.

[00:24:36]So especially if there's no Mark Stone for Vegas. Not so different from how we talked about Eric Staal Brodin, like get to them sooner then, right? Like earlier in the series before the health reinforcements are on the way. And and on the flip side of that, there's there there should be there needs to be an extra layer of emphasis on urgency, desperation for the Avs of you're down Cale Makar, don't let them do the same thing to you of jumping all over you while while you're down a guy.

[00:25:04]Um, message sending.

[00:25:08]John Tortorella spoke yesterday.

[00:25:10]Um, and he had really really really high praise for the abs. Uh, Jared Bednar in particular and let me just read this quote really quickly from John Tortorella yesterday because I had someone respond uh, or like you know, reply um, with something that I thought was interesting. So, this is John Tortorella yesterday, quote, "I'll say this about Colorado.

[00:25:35]They have been the best team by far in the National Hockey League. Bednar is one of the best coaches in the league.

[00:25:43]Joe Sakic, Chris MacFarland, just all around a first class organization."

[00:25:50]Someone replied to that and said, "This is him sending a message to his team saying, you better show up ready tomorrow. Remember who you're playing."

[00:25:59]Talking with folks today, uh, who had covered, um, Vegas and Anaheim, Vegas and Utah, they said that Vegas's issue in those series was starting slow.

[00:26:10]That they looked overwhelmed by the speed of both teams early in those rounds. But then as the games went on, they got more structured, they got more dialed in and by the end they were clamping things down.

[00:26:22]Vegas cannot afford to have a slow start against the abs. They're not going to be able to just clamp things down the way that they did against Utah and Anaheim.

[00:26:31]Not saying they won't be able to, you know, lock things down defensively, but it's going to be different against this abs team in the same way that the abs jumping out to an early lead in the series, you're not going to get the team to start to fold and and lose the will to come back.

[00:26:47]Vegas is too experienced. They're they're they're they're they've got too many good players. Um I guess when you look at the the comment from John Tortorella, just how do you think Vegas is going to approach this game one knowing that this arena is going to be into it, the Avs are going to be fired up, neither of these teams have played in several days.

[00:27:07]Um what are you expecting from the Vegas side of things tonight? Yeah, I think it's going to be pretty similar to what Vegas has done through this point, though with a little bit more respect for um how they earn their opportunities because I think that they also recognize it's going it's not going to come as easily as it did uh in some of the breakdowns that they saw in a young Anaheim team.

[00:27:30]And so, I think there's going to be a layer of them still being opportunistic though, looking for opportunities to create off the rush. Um especially because team speed to team speed, I think the Avs do have an advantage. So, I think that it's going to be That's why I was like, "Ah, it's not going to be 9-6. It's going to be really tight game." I think it has to be though at least the mindset going into it for Vegas. Um just in the same that we're talking same way that we're talking about the Avs haven't come up against center depth like Vegas is just yet through this point.

[00:28:02]Vegas hasn't really come up against the star power that is represented in the Colorado Avalanche and the depth on the whole that is there as well as their maturity experience. And it's copy-paste both both teams. Um and so, I think that is going to command a lot of respect in the game plan that Vegas brings forth and it'll probably look similar to what we've seen LA Minnesota in terms of trying to heavily contain MacKinnon.

[00:28:26]Not Makar.

[00:28:28]>> [laughter] >> Sad. Um and I'm sure too from their perspective, there probably is this possibility of vulnerabilities in goaltending. Like well, they had to switch from Wedgewood Blackwood, you know, flip-flop both. And so, there's maybe this sense that they want to try to accomplish that um in how they get their opportunities then driving to the net, um, playing pretty heavy there and forcing Colorado to defend hard as well.

[00:28:55]Um, think the Avs can rise to that occasion, but it it maybe isn't always built into their game. They really have to intentionally play that way in protecting the house. So, I think Vegas is going to force them to play that style of game. Yeah, you just got, you know, you you got too much high-end talent uh, you know, on Vegas to to not have that kind of emphasis on it. Um, all right, Megan, winding down here.

[00:29:17]>> Add one on the mental thing. Yes, and I was going to I wanted to underscore what you said about Vegas having not come up against a team with this kind of maturity, this kind of mental toughness yet.

[00:29:27]Obviously, Anaheim, Utah, good teams in their own right, young, exciting, fast.

[00:29:34]They've not faced a team this mentally tough.

[00:29:37]So, I've seen people speculate, and obviously, we'll never have proof of this, that different comments that Avs players, coaching made in the Minnesota series around goaltending cuz I even in part of this in the media court and asking questions about getting to Wallstedt and the types of chances that, you know, he seemed to give up or how do you create opportunities that allow you to get second, third opportunities when the conventional rebounds aren't coming.

[00:30:07]Jared Bednar had a really thoughtful answer about different plays from the corner, from below the goal line. Um, and so, some people have speculated that that public commentary around how more or less they figured out Wallstedt led to them going to Gustavsson.

[00:30:22]And that this was part of the mental warfare that the Avs very deliberately placed these, um, breadcrumbs to make Minnesota feel like they needed to switch up the goaltending. And I just one wanted to know if you felt it was as intentional as that and two, how much more of that is happening then in different things that players and coaching share with us, um, in kind of using us as pawns.

[00:30:45]>> Right. Right. Now, now, you know, it's funny because like I you I know that happens, right? Like I know that there are instances where players, coaches, GMs, agents will say stuff to the media intentionally to get someone's attention or, you know, whatever.

[00:31:02]I'll be honest.

[00:31:05]And our guy Arif tried really hard to get someone from the Avs to, you know, like he he pulled at this thread a lot of like, "What are you guys doing to Wallstedt here?" Like in So, I don't know.

[00:31:19]>> [sighs] >> As it relates like what you're talking about, I don't know. I don't know how much a guy like Jared Bednar is doing that. And now, maybe that's not me giving him enough credit for Yeah, he's playing chess, not checkers.

[00:31:33]>> Right. Right. Right. And maybe that's that's just me buying in too much to like when he's like, "Oh, no, I don't care about any of that stuff." Uh Um, so now, let me answer it this way.

[00:31:45]Do I think that the Avs were saying that stuff intentionally to get in the Minnesota Wild's heads? No, not necessarily.

[00:31:52]Do I think that still could have gotten in the heads of Minnesota Wild coaching and players? Yeah, of course.

[00:31:59]When you hear another team, you know, what you think is kind of like give away a secret, you're like, "Ooh, well, okay, were they telling us that so we make a change?" Or Or were they telling us that so we think about it, but then don't make it, you know, and like Okay, well, there you go. Mission accomplished. Whether you were trying to, you know, instill doubt in Wallstedt or not, the comment they're talking about it, you know? And so, I guess that's a really long way of saying, do I think he did it intentionally? No. Do I think it maybe still could have done that? Yes.

[00:32:26]Hm.

[00:32:27]Was that not the answer you were looking for? No. No, there wasn't any answer I was looking for. I And And again, like I said, that that very well could just be me not giving enough credit to what all actually goes on with that type of mental the mental games. And just thought it was really interesting and Yeah. I think it'll be something to keep an eye on in this series as well.

[00:32:49]>> [snorts] >> I think that if you're the abs and this is maybe you kind of my final thought on it is like if if you're the abs that's got to be what you're talking about. Look, we ran through the defense on Monday um for Vegas like it's a good decor it's slow.

[00:33:06]The abs in transition can get behind this group and if you can get to Carter Hart like I think that's the vulnerability of this Vegas team.

[00:33:17]And if the abs can exploit that yeah, I think you can start to put a lot of mental doubt in what they've got going over there. I think that a lot of Carter Hart's success has been insulated by really heavy physical decor um so limited high danger opportunities have come his way and I think the abs can really generate a lot more than maybe they've seen in that maybe doesn't give enough respect to Utah Anaheim who I think have offensive weapons.

[00:33:45]Um I think the abs just operate as a five-man unit and so that gives them a little bit of room to create um and I guess similarly I do think that Vegas their like 5 e 5 shooting volume was a little bit on the lower end and so they were able to kind of get rewarded um more than maybe proportionately they're going to get rewarded uh against the abs. So I think you're going to limit those types of opportunities. So this will test the patience of Vegas I think in being able to get their opportunities offensively.

[00:34:18]Um I think they're well prepared for the test of containing the abs offense but that doesn't mean there aren't you know cracks doors slightly left open for the abs to step through in particular using their speed.

[00:34:32]>> [clears throat] >> You know, we heard um DJ Smith talk about it in that first round. It's tough to stay committed to defending that hard for an entire series. LA did it, but to your point, we'll see how patient Vegas is. Megan, as we get out of here, give us a thought for tonight. Give us a prediction. Who's a guy that that you're looking at?

[00:34:51]Um I I'm going to stick with Martin Nečas for a guy that I'm looking at. I think he can really kind of foil some of what Vegas is. Um but you need Marty at his best, and so he can't stray from what he's been trying to build in his shut down game being highly engaged. He's supposed to be intentional in what he does there. No weird decisions, Marty. Like that that could be a high-wire act from him at times. Um because then otherwise, when he's unchained offensively, he could be really dangerous. So, I think that he can be a key to getting offense for the Avs.

[00:35:30]Um I I was going to take cuz a bunch of people when my dad called were saying Brent Burns in the chat, so I was going to take him. So, that's my Yeah.

[00:35:37]>> honorable mention. Um but I'm going to take kind of like you, like this maybe doesn't seem like that crazy of a prediction, but like Nate's heating up.

[00:35:45]And like Nate I think he's kind of in playoff mode here, not going to be denied mode. And as Lucas said, like there's a lightness about him right now that we've never seen. So, I think he's feeling it, so I think the MacKinnon-Nečas line is going to be going. And then look, here's my one non-Avs. If you are a gambler out there and you're looking for a few easy bucks in this series, just put money on Colton Sissons anytime goal scorer in every game.

[00:36:12]>> SinBin, the Twitter account, our guy Ken, just put out a tweet, and this is how we're going to end the show.

[00:36:22]Quote from Colton Sissons, quote, "I've had some good hockey games against the Avs over the years. It's just a team I've played a lot against and I feel pretty comfortable against. Hopefully I can continue that. End of quote. 11% of Colton Sissons career goals have come against the abs.

[00:36:38]30% of his career playoff points have come against the abs.

[00:36:45]The 11% of his career goals have come in just 4% of his career games. 30% of his career playoff points have come in just 14% of his career games against the abs.

[00:36:56]Colton Sissons is a fourth line grinder who is an average to below average player throughout most of the year. When he plays the abs, he is Mario Lemieux.

[00:37:07]So, that is the maybe the biggest Vegas X-factor the abs have to keep their eye on. She's got Nechush, I've got MacKinnon. We're looking for a big night out of the top guys.

[00:37:20]That's going to do it, Megan. That is going to do it. We'll be back after the game, postgame live.

[00:37:27]She's Megan Angley, I'm Jesse Montano.

[00:37:28]We got Mark R back there behind the glass today. And then Blake was just making the whale look like it was swimming uh on the on the glass. So, uh Blake back there as well.

[00:37:42]Thank you all so much for tuning in.

[00:37:44]Shout out to our guy Luca from BarDown.

[00:37:46]We'll be back after the game, guys, breaking down game one of the Western Conference Final, abs and knights. We'll talk to you guys then. See you.