The Western Conference Finals between the Colorado Avalanche and the Vegas Golden Knights will be an exciting matchup between two evenly matched teams.

Both teams possess depth, play with high physicality, and have experienced veterans who have been through this journey before.

After a couple of days off and a few more before Game 1, the Avs are concentrating on what they need to do to defeat the Golden Knights.

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“First thing is we want to get our defensive game in a right mindset. When we do that, we play good defensively, then our whole game is in a great spot, that’s the most important thing,” Nicolas Roy said. “And then we’ll look at their video, what they do, their tenancies, and stuff like that, and we’ll get ready.”

How the teams stack up against each other in the regular and postseason

The Avs had the upper hand during the regular season with one regulation win, one shootout win, and an overtime loss. Goals for were eight, and goals against were seven, with Colorado outshooting Vegas 90-78. High danger scoring chances percentage for the Avs was 51% and 49% for the Golden Knights.

“We just focus on ourselves, and just like against Minny (Minnesota Wild), really good team. The teams don’t really get much better, but it’s more about details,” Martin Necas said. “Minny was a really good team, but Vegas plays really good defense, and they got a lot of experience. So we’re focused on ourselves. We’re going to do some video to prepare, but it’ll be a good challenge.”

Postseason numbers are not far off between the teams, either. Vegas performed better on special teams in 12 playoff games. The Avs scored more goals in their nine playoff games.

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“This is a team that’s now gotten healthier with the addition of (William) Karlsson back in their lineup. They’re a super deep forward group. Half their team has won a Stanley Cup, right after our guys won it. It’s an experienced group,” head coach Jared Bednar said. “You’re not going to be able to rattle them. They’re very well defined in the structure of their game. They’re a stingy defensive team, and they got lots of firepower. We have to pick them apart and figure out the best way to try and create offense against them.”

Roy on facing his former team

For the 29-year-old Quebec native, this is familiar territory, just with a different team. Roy won the Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights in 2023.

“We know they’re a good team. For me, obviously, it’s going to be exciting, even more. It’s already conference finals, and you play your old teammates … Their tendencies and stuff like that. It’ll be a big challenge for sure.

“I played that system, so I know of it, how they play. A new coach, but he came in pretty late, so they didn’t have time to change that system that much. So obviously, I know a little bit of their system.

“I was there for a while, so yeah, I got some good friends over there. But we’ll put that friendship aside for a couple weeks, I guess, for a week or two,” Roy said.