Avalanche Enter Golden Knights Series as 37%-to-30% Favorites Amid Mark Stone Injury Doubt
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 18
Avalanche Enter Golden Knights Series as 37%-to-30% Favorites Amid Mark Stone Injury Doubt
13 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 18
Colorado opens the series as a clear favorite after an 8-1 playoff start, with Vegas’ upset chances projected at 37% if Mark Stone returns and 30% if he remains out.
A plus-84 Net Rating and the NHL’s best five-on-five offense underpin the Avalanche edge, while Vegas’ path through two 90-point teams offers a far softer test than Colorado’s.
Stone’s lower-body injury is the biggest variable for Vegas: the captain has missed three straight games, and his two-way impact is central to any realistic chance of matching Colorado’s top line.
Goaltending is Colorado’s main question after Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood both posted .872 save percentages against Minnesota, though the Avalanche still look steadier in net than Vegas.
The matchup ultimately turns on whether Vegas’ top trio—Jack Eichel, Stone and Mitch Marner—can keep pace with Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, who have outscored opponents 6-1 together in 100 playoff minutes.
With stars injured on both sides, will Colorado's depth or Vegas's grit decide the Western Conference Final?
Can Mitch Marner maintain his playoff-leading scoring pace against a true Stanley Cup contender?