DENVER (AP) 鈥� Forget motivational speeches. Colorado coach Jared Bednar simply let the game tape do the talking.
The Avalanche went over the video in the opener of the Western Conference Final. All things considered 鈥� defensive miscommunications, falling behind 3-0 鈥� Bednar saw more that was quickly fixable than not, even if it might have been hard to watch again.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 tiptoe around it in our locker room. We show the things we liked, we show the things we didn鈥檛 like. There鈥檚 no secrets,鈥� Bednar said as the team prepared for Game 2 against the Golden Knights on Friday. 鈥淓xpectations are high, and if one guy鈥檚 making a mistake, it鈥檚 likely that other guys are going to be put in the same positions. … We feel like a lot of it鈥檚 on us.鈥�
The return of Makar would be a big boost. Bednar, though, offered no update on the star defenseman, who’s sidelined by an upper-body injury. Makar did skate Thursday in an optional practice.
For now, Bednar is banking on the fact his team has responded when faced with adversity. That bounce-back trait is a reason Colorado captured the Presidents’ Trophy as the league’s top team.
鈥淚 know our team, and I know our goals, and I know the mindset of our group. So it鈥檚 not like I鈥檓 going in there and giving some speech that鈥檚 going to turn the series around,鈥� Bednar said. 鈥淥r get it going in the right direction. It鈥檚 pretty pointed on what we need to do and what we think we can do. To me, the motivation to play is there for all of our guys. It鈥檚 about us going and trying to be the best version of ourselves that we could be, because we weren鈥檛 (Wednesday).鈥�
At times, and maybe to be expected, the Avalanche looked disorganized on the defensive end without Makar. Bednar, though, made one thing clear: 鈥淭hat has nothing to do with Cale,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 just looking at the guys that are in the lineup, and I think I鈥檝e seen them play a lot better when it comes to the way we move the puck.
鈥淢ost of the chances that we gave up were more execution issues, mismanagement of the puck. There鈥檚 some decision-making in there that wasn鈥檛 great.鈥�
Forward Nazem Kadri zeroed in on the positives, like Colorado scoring two third-period goals and making it 3-2 with 2:21 remaining before surrendering an empty-netter.
鈥淲e鈥檙e a good team. We have full confidence in our capabilities, and I don鈥檛 think that really wavers depending on if you win or lose, especially early in the series,鈥� Kadri said. 鈥淲e did a lot of great things last game, a little bit sloppy at times, but felt like we did enough to win the game. Credit to them, they stole one. Now we鈥檝e got to respond.鈥�
Kadri noted the rebound by Colorado after Minnesota won 5-1 in Game 3 of the second round. Colorado followed that with a 5-2 victory to take control of the series.
鈥淪ome people thought the sky was falling then,鈥� Kadri said. 鈥淲e have a process that we stick to, and we鈥檙e not going to waver from that.鈥�
Vegas is a savvy group that plays with a swagger. Coming into a hostile arena doesn’t faze the Golden Knights. It’s an attribute coach John Tortorella appreciates about his team.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e seen it, most of the guys have seen it, have felt it,鈥� said Tortorella, whose team is 3-0 in Game 1s this postseason. 鈥淚t鈥檚 sometimes easier for the away team in these type of situations to play. You can use it to your advantage.鈥�
For the Avalanche, it boils down to a faster start. They’re 5-0 when scoring first in the postseason and 3-2 after giving up the opening goal. To get an early lead, they have to solve who had 36 saves in Game 1.
鈥淲e’ve got to start to try to take the lead a little bit more in these games, and put our foot down,鈥� defenseman Devon Toews said. 鈥淧ut pressure on teams to try to attack us, instead of us having to attack them.鈥�
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