Even without the goals, he has still been productive and impactful for Vegas. If the goals start coming, and you have to assume they will for him, they are really going to be a handful to beat.
The Ivan Barbashev trade from four years ago. Vegas’ roster has been built primarily through trades over the years, and one of the more underrated ones has been the one that brought Barbashev to Vegas.
Vegas acquired him at the trade deadline during the 2022-23 season, and he’s already helped the team win a Stanley Cup. He has also improved his production every year he has played in Vegas, and made a massive contribution on Friday with two goals, including the game-winner and the empty-net goal to add on insurance, and an assist on Eichel’s game-tying goal.
Vegas originally acquired him for Zach Dean.
Dean has played just nine games in the NHL.
Vegas’ defensive structure. A lot of the credit for this has to go to head coach John Tortorella, and he has his team absolutely locking down the NHL’s highest-scoring team from the regular season.
They have limited the Avalanche to just three goals in two games, while also limiting them to just six expected goals (via Natural Stat Trick) in all situations. They have held them to just 4.1 expected goals in 5-on-5 situations.
The third period on Friday was especially impressive, and perhaps the best defensive period they have played all postseason.
Friday’s losers
Colorado without Cale Makar. This has been one of the biggest difference-makers in the series so far. Makar missed his second straight game to open the series, and it is putting a huge dent in Colorado’s offense.
Yeah, they need more from their forwards.
But a lot of times, when talented forwards go cold offensively, it can be traced back to issues moving the puck from the defense.
Nobody is better at that than Makar. A lot of Colorado’s offense runs through him, and when he is not there, it is noticeable.
Colorado losing both games at home. How significant an issue is this for Colorado? Only one team in 21 tries has lost the first two games of a conference final at home and come back to win the series. That was the 1945 Detroit Red Wings. History is not on Colorado’s side here.
Scott Wedgewood, Colorado Avalanche. It is hard to blame a goalie too much when a team only scores one goal in a loss, but Wedgewood probably would like to have back both goalies that he allowed in the third period. Good shots. But stoppable.