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Well, in the words of Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Dylan Coglin, I don't think people had this on their bingo card. No, they did not. In the NHL Western Conference Finals, the Golden Knights have stole the first two games on the road against the Avalanche. This is a Colorado team that was the favorites coming into the series after come from behind win in game two. The series shifts to the desert with Vegas in the driver's seat and the new owners of home ice advantage. So, Vegas hit the AS with a couple jabs to open the series. to win tonight. And game three would be quite the haymaker. The puck drops at T-Mobile Arena at 8:00 p.m.
Eastern. Can the Golden Knights inch closer to a third trip to the Stanley Cup in franchise history? And with that, we're going to bring in Todd Ferman, who is decked and dressed to the nines right now, ready for this segment. Talk about what is going on in the NHL right now, specifically out west, where the President's Trophy winners are 1 and 10 all time in a playoff series when trailing 02. This is going to be quite the uphill climb for that team out there in the Rockies in the Avalanche. How much trouble, Todd, are the Avalanche in right now? I think they're in big- time trouble, but at the same time, Mike, all it takes is a win in game three, and suddenly the dynamic in this series shifts. Colorado
believe that they were the best team all season long, and they had the resume to back it up. The problem for them is they've gone into battle in this series against a nice team who's been there before and done that and they're doing so without Kale Mar kind of anchoring their special teams on the blue line. It's forcing a lot of their secondary options defensively to play much more meaningful minutes. And unfortunately for the Avalanche, they're not getting timely saves in net. They're not getting contributions from their stars or depth players. And this is a Vegas team that never makes life easy on their opponents. Since John Tortoella took over as the bench boss, 174-1.
It was a team that had great underlying metrics all season long. They just couldn't come up with a timely save. And fortunately for the Knights, they make the change from Aiden Hill to Carter Hart. And right now, they're playing with a bit of house money. You mentioned that change in net for the Knights. Let's put this in golf terms. If we're going to talk about change in net for the Avalanche, which would you go if you're talking about a golf bag, Scott Wedgewood or McKenzie Blackwood? Is it time for a change in net after these two losses for Colorado? I really believe Mike Jared Bedar tried to make that change in the Minnesota Wild Series and it didn't quite play out the way he drew it up. Scott Wedgwood has
been your guy for the majority of the season and I'd be sticking with Wedgie for game three in this spot. Would he like to have that Dylan Coglin goal back in game one? There's no doubt about it. Was his angle off on the game tying goal from Jack Eel in game two? For sure. There's no reason you're giving up that wide post and getting beat blocker side. Uh trying to protect the short side there. But Wedgewood hasn't been the problem in my opinion. If you're going to go out there and you're going to hold your opponent to two goals or less this time of year, he's got to get some
support uh from this Colorado Avalanche team that was one of the highest scoring teams throughout the course of the regular season. And if you're going to talk about making a change in net, I think Brock Nelson up front has to bear away to the criticism. Marty Nis, the list goes on and on. I'd be sticking with Scott Wedgwood. And I would expect this Colorado team to try and put a little bit more sense of urgency on what we're going to get from them in the first period tonight at T-Mobile. If they go down 03 though, is it time to break glass in case of emergency and make that switch?
I think at that point then you have to consider all options are on the table to try and spark this bunch. If Scott Wedgewood isn't the problem in game three and they still find themselves staring down the barrel of a three to nothing series deficit, then I think you'd have to consider McKenzie Blackwood and try and put all of those lines in a blender. I'm interested to see if Jared Bedar will go in a different direction because we did see some different line combinations in game one. I'll make the case that Val Neushkin was their best player in that game. And if you're looking up and down that roster for the Colorado Avalanche performances in game two, I'm not sure there was anyone that was truly a
standout. Yes, Ross Colton has the goal, but that third line has been a little bit underwhelming. Nascaderie hasn't exactly performed at the level they anticipated when they thought they brought in a familiar face, at least so far in this series. But I think Vegas deserves a world of credit for what we're seeing from their depth players further down the lineup. And this second line that Vegas has put together being centered by William Carlson with Mitch Martner on one wing and Brett Hen the on the other has really been a revelation for their offensive contributions and maybe more importantly what they can do to shut down the opponent's best groups.
All right. In the opposite net, Carter Hart said his team just constantly grinding, very resilient. How has he been resilient in net for the Golden Knights? What kind of groove is he in at the moment? It's pretty wild when we look at the way that the NHL has played now in 2026 versus a decade ago or 15 seasons past where you were so relying on goalies with those gaudy save percentages, the Martmbber doors of the world. Now it's almost like when can I come up with that timely stop to change the momentum or give my team a chance to get their sea legs under them. And Carter Hart has had a knack for that all postseason long.
Yeah, I know the counting stats are getting better, the goals against average, etc. But it seems like every time the Knights are leaning into Carter Hart to come up with that momentum changing save, he's been there. And for a team that was 27th in the league for extended stretches from an overall save percentage standpoint below 88, this is a revelation for them and it's given them an opportunity to put a little bit more confidence in Carter Hart knowing that hey, if he comes up with that timely save, even if we don't start on time, it's going to give us an opportunity to win games. And there's a reason right now that this Golden Knights team has four third period comebacks so far this postseason. I
don't think that has anything to do with coincidence. It's about coming up with that knack for that momentum changing play. You know, I got to believe part of the reason why the Avalanche were favored in this series was because they were averaging more than four goals scored per game until they ran into Vegas and Carter Hart. So, what do they have to do to get back to that? going to be interesting to see what kind of changes they can make to their approach because so much of Colorado's success was predicated on generating off the rush and that's not necessarily a luxury
you're going to be afforded without Kale Mar there either at even strength or of course with the man advantage and for Colorado they just didn't look all that formidable when they tried to get into their cycle game uh and try to hem the Golden Knights in yes the numbers look good from an offensive zone percentage standpoint in terms of time that they were on the attack but at the same time, Vegas does such a good job structurally of taking away those high danger areas, keeping shots to the periphery and allowing Carter Hart to see pucks. And the way he's playing right now, when he sees pucks, he's going to stop pucks.
Noah Hannifin and Shay Theodore are starting to assert themselves as well. I mean, I had questions about Shay Theodore's performance throughout the course of the regular season, knowing how much they lean on him to try and generate offense, but you're seeing the great two-way game for number 27. And I think his performance has been a little bit under reportported for how much it's meant to this Vegas team so far in the postseason. So, for Colorado, they're going to have to try and figure out different ways to generate, especially Vegas is doing a great job taking away the neutral zone. And maybe more importantly for this Vegas team, knowing the kind of center depth that they have
on full display, one of the areas that they've also been tremendous, uh they're not allowing for some of those clean zone entries attack with a head of speed, most notably with their wingers. It's really created a problem for Jared Bednar's bunch. And maybe that's part of the reason, Mike, that the Bluebirds are out in full force talking about maybe Bedar, you know, maybe coaching his last handful of games as the bench boss of the Avalanche. I'm not sure I'm buying into that, but it's awfully interesting to hear some of that David Carl buzz starting to brew knowing what he's been able to accomplish as the head coach for the Denver Pioneers.
Yeah, that is uh that is interesting chatter right there. Okay, let's get into the game now. Tonight's game, change of venue. Does that mean a change of results here for the Avalanche or is this the Golden Knights going up 3-0 later tonight? I worry in this spot about Vegas coming out a bit flat, knowing what they were able to accomplish through the first two games at Ball Arena. We've seen throughout the course of this postseason and postseasons before that it can be easier to play away from home. You simplify your game, you try and get pucks in deep, and we insert every other hockey cliche that we want this time of year. It wasn't until Carolina won 3-2 in overtime last night that you finally
saw a home team get on the board for seemingly eight, nine, 10 games. I think Vegas is going to get Colorado's best shot early in the first period. And that's a little bit disconcerting for me. Now, Vegas will have the luxury of having last change. So, I'm interested to see if John Tordella elects to play the matchup game, especially when Nathan McKinnon is out there. But, at the same time, if it's not broke, don't fix it. And the one thing we've seen from Vegas that even if they get down in these games, uh, they're never rattled. So, Colorado will be on their front foot early. And I think there could be a little bit of palpable energy in the building as folks are going to expect Vegas to jump on the ABS early in this
contest, but I'm not sure that's necessarily going to be the case. All right. Uh Todd, you look, you've been quite fair and quite honest in this whole segment despite wearing the Vegas Golden Knights gear, but today isn't obviously the first time you've done this to us here on HQ. No, you've gone full Elton Todd on us. You got the gold jacket. Uh and then I don't even know what's going on the right, but then today you brought out the red jacket. Here we go. You're feeling good. I know Vegas there's a lot of shows and you're you're a showman clearly here on HQ. So, we appreciate the wardrobe changes as you go through. I'm just God help us if you get to the Stanley Cup finals. I'm not sure what's going to come of all this wardrobe changing.
You know, Mike, I'm a little bit concerned for the great graphics team with CBS. Uh the proportionality there between my head, my shoulders, and my hands uh that make it look like it would probably be difficult for me to pick up a hockey stick. So, I most likely would have to go to a mini stick if I was out there on the ice, but I do kind of like that red blazer. Uh, and if the folks in wardrobe have an opportunity to get that set up with a few rhinestones, I'd be more than happy to dawn that should the Knights get to the Stanley Cup. Uh, and we can do some live broadcasting right from in front of team Arena.
There you go. You know what, the rhinestones, I think they'll go good with the shine off that Stanley Cup. So, maybe pair those two. It' be a nice accessory there for you. Okay, jokes aside, here is what is going on the rest of the series, at least the next two games of this Western Conference series between the Golden Knights and the Avalanche. Game three again tonight in Vegas, 8:00 Eastern. Then I'll get a day off before game two uh game four Tuesday, excuse me, 9 Eastern in Vegas. Of course, games 5 through 7 necessary. Vegas would like to get rid of that if necessary and just wrap it up sooner rather than later.
