Vegas Golden Knights turned a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 Game 2 win by having Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev score within two minutes of each other in the third period. Colorado had taken a first-period lead on Ross Colton's wrist shot but couldn't hold it. This marked the first time in the regular season or playoffs that the Avalanche lost after leading entering the third, ending a 41-0-0 run and a 4-0 postseason streak in that scenario.

The 0-2 hole carries weight. The Avalanche haven't come back from an 0-2 deficit since 1999, when they rallied against Detroit. That's the only time the franchise has recovered from such a deficit since moving from Quebec City. Bednar's only prior 0-2 start came in 2020 against Dallas, where injuries forced a Game 7 the Avalanche lost.

Cale Makar remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury after skating in drills Friday morning. Colorado's power play went 0-for-4 while Vegas couldn't convert on four power-play chances either. Bednar stressed attitude over guarantees, saying adjustments are needed but the team must prepare for Game 3 without overthinking the bigger picture.