The pressure is rising fast for the Colorado Avalanche. After dominating the regular season and entering the playoffs as Stanley Cup favorites, Colorado suddenly finds itself in serious trouble after dropping both home games against the Vegas Golden Knights at Ball Arena.
Now heading to Las Vegas down 0-2 in the Western Conference Final, the Avalanche are firmly on the back foot, and former NHLer Ryan Whitney believes they’re already down and out in the best-of-seven series.
Former NHLer Loses Faith in Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche entered the Western Conference Final as one of the strongest teams in hockey. Colorado cruised through the first two playoff rounds, defeating the Los Angeles Kings in four games and the Minnesota Wild in five.
But things have quickly unraveled against Vegas. Colorado lost Game 1 by a 4-2 score and followed it up with another defeat in Game 2, falling 3-1 as Vegas grabbed complete control of the series.
After the loss, Whitney shared his blunt reaction on social media. “Colorado is done. Vegas wins both on the road. No Makar is too much to overcome. The villains of the league are a wagon,” Whitney said.
Whitney’s comments focused heavily on the absence of Cale Makar, who remains sidelined with the upper-body injury he suffered during Game 5 against Minnesota.
Makar is far more than just Colorado’s top defenseman. He drives the team’s transition game, controls the power play, and plays huge minutes in every situation. Without him, Colorado’s defensive depth has been tested hard, with younger players being forced into bigger playoff roles against one of the league’s deepest offenses.
Whitney calling the Golden Knights the “villains” reflects the reputation they’ve built around the league over the years. Between their cutthroat front-office tactics, like keeping Bruce Cassidy hostage from interviewing with the Oilers and Kings, and their historic ruthlessness with the salary cap, Vegas has happily embraced the role of the NHL’s main antagonist.
Colorado Avalanche Face a Massive Challenge
Whitney’s statement may sound dramatic, but history supports his point. In NHL playoff history, teams that grab a 2-0 series lead on the road end up winning the best-of-seven matchup around 80 percent of the time.
Now the series heads to T-Mobile Arena for Game 3 on Sunday, and the Colorado Avalanche are already in must-win territory. Head coach Jared Bednar has little room left for error, especially if Cale Makar remains out of the lineup. Without their star defenseman, Whitney’s harsh prediction could start looking very real in a hurry.
