Avalanche Have A Bigger Problem Than Just Missing Cale Makar Vs. Golden Knights

For all the attention surrounding the absence of Cale Makar, Game 1 of the Western Conference final ultimately came down to something much simpler.

The Vegas Golden Knights imposed their style on the Colorado Avalanche, which never fully adjusted.

Vegas came out with a 4-2 win and the early series lead.

All the Small Things: 3 Takeaways as Golden Knights Beat Avalanche in Game 1 of Western Conference Final

DENVER, May 20th, 2026– It was a dark and stormy night in downtown Denver, but none of that doom and gloom spread to the visiting Vegas Golden Knights. Against all odds, they went out on the road and beat the mighty Colorado Avalanche 4-2 to steal Game 1 of the Western Conference Final.

When Skill Turns Into Overcomplication

Despite winning the Presidents' Trophy as the NHL's top regular-season team and looking like the league's best 5-on-5 club for much of the year, the Avalanche still have a tendency to overcomplicate the game.

At times, this team tries to do too much.

There are too many extra touches, too much stickhandling and too many attempts to create the highlight-reel play instead of making the direct one that sustains pressure and creates second opportunities. It looks spectacular when it works. Colorado's speed and skill can overwhelm opponents in an instant.

But there's a fine line between playing creatively and playing stubbornly.

When you're trailing by multiple goals, searching for the perfect play instead of creating traffic around the crease and forcing uncomfortable moments for the opposing defense, the priorities begin to drift. Vegas recognized that immediately and exploited it throughout the night.

The Avalanche are still more than capable of winning this series, but Game 1 reinforced how razor-thin the margin for error becomes this deep into the post-season.

Colorado will want Wednesday's loss to serve as a wake-up call rather than the beginning of a pattern.

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The regular-season champion Colorado Avalanche are set to clash with the powerhouse Vegas Golden Knights in a heavyweight showdown in the Western Conference final. Can the Avs' league-leading offense overwhelm Vegas to push Colorado into the Stanley Cup final?

Jared Bednar's Adjustments Now Become The Story

Landeskog, 33, has been with the organization since being selected second overall in the 2011 NHL draft, and he's played under coach Jared Bednar since the 2016-17 season.

Following Tuesday's practice, he was asked where he believes Bednar has improved the most over the last decade.

"Just the feel for the group, feel for scheduling, feel for what we need, feel for when to push certain buttons with the group," Landeskog said. "He's always had a good eye for what he wants to see on the ice in terms of systems and how to really portray that message to the players. Another area he's gotten better at is using analytics and numbers to help us with our pre-scouts. But I think overall, any time you have a coach for that long, it just gels you as a group. It just helps everybody really. Coaching staff, but also players."

Those analytical adjustments could become critical heading into Friday's Game 2.

Expect Colorado to spend significant time dissecting video - defensive coverage breakdowns, forecheck structure, neutral-zone support and failed entries. Bednar has never been a coach who reveals much publicly, but behind closed doors, there is little doubt analytics and pre-scouting will play a major role in how the Avalanche approach the next phase of this series.

As for Vegas, the objective is straightforward: leave Denver with a 2-0 series lead and complete control of the matchup.

Either way, this series feels far from settled.

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This story was originally published May 21, 2026 at 6:04 AM.