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Looking to grab 2-0 lead

June 2, 2021, 6:00 PM ET [3 Comments]
Rick Sadowski
Colorado Avalanche Blogger •Avalanche Insider • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The Avalanche will try to take a 2-0 series lead against Vegas on Wednesday at Ball Arena, but it doesn’t figure to be as easy as their 7-1 win on Sunday.

The Golden Knights have had two days to rest, unlike before Game 1, and Vezina Trophy finalist Marc-Andre Fleury will be in goal.

He has a 15-8-2 career record against the Avalanche with three shutouts, a 2.40 goals-against average and .920 save percentage.

Not forgetting about Avalanche goalie Philipp Grubauer, also a Vezina finalist. He’s 5-0 in the playoffs with a 1.60 GAA and .941 save percentage and has gone 6-4-1 in his career against Vegas with a 2.10 GAA and .932 save percentage.

"You want to get out and playing your game, play to our identity right away," coach Jared Bednar said after the morning skate. "Last game, that meant skating, relentless puck pursuit. It has to be the same here tonight, because we know we're going to get their best game."

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The schedule, all times MT

Game 1 – Avalanche 7-1
Wednesday -- at Avalanche, 8 p.m.
Friday -- at Vegas, 8:30 p.m.
Sunday -- at Vegas, 6:30 p.m.
*Tuesday, June 8 -- at Avalanche, TBD
*Thursday, June 10 -- at Vegas, TBD
*Saturday. June 12 -- at Avalanche, TBD
* If necessary
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The Avalanche can become the third Presidents' Trophy winners to open the playoffs with a streak of at least six wins since the trophy was first awarded in 1985-86, joining the New York Rangers, who opened with seven straight wins in 1994, and Dallas Stars, who opened with six straight in 1999.

The Avalanche are 3-0 at Ball Arena in the playoffs, have won 12 games in a row at home and are 19-0-1 in the past 20 in the building.

Projected lineup:

FORWARDS
Gabriel Landeskog -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Mikko Rantanen
Brandon Saad -- Tyson Jost -- Valeri Nichushkin
Andre Burakovsky -- J.T. Compher -- Joonas Donskoi
Alex Newhook -- Pierre-Edouard Bellemare -- Sampo Ranta

DEFENSE
Devon Toews -- Cale Makar
Ryan Graves -- Samuel Girard
Patrik Nemeth -- Conor Timmins

GOALIES
Philipp Grubauer
Devan Dubnyk



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