Colorado Avalanche (39-13-4, first in the West Division during the regular season) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (40-14-2, second in the West Division during the regular season)
Paradise, Nevada; Friday, 10 p.m. EDT
NHL PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND: Avalanche lead series 2-0
BOTTOM LINE: The Colorado Avalanche visit the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round of the NHL Playoffs with a 2-0 lead in the series. The teams meet Friday for the 11th time this season. The Avalanche won the previous meeting 3-2 in overtime.
The Golden Knights are 40-14-2 against division opponents. Vegas ranks fourth in the league averaging 5.8 assists per game, led by Mark Stone with 0.7.
The Avalanche are 39-13-4 against the rest of their division. Colorado leads the NHL with 6.3 assists per game, led by Nathan MacKinnon averaging 0.9.
TOP PERFORMERS: Max Pacioretty leads the Golden Knights with 24 goals, adding 27 assists and totaling 51 points. Stone has four goals and one assist over the last 10 games for Vegas.
Mikko Rantanen leads the Avalanche with a plus-30 in 52 games this season. MacKinnon has eight goals and five assists over the last 10 games for Colorado.
DURING THE PLAYOFFS: Golden Knights: Averaging 2.6 goals, 4.4 assists, 3.2 penalties and 10.1 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game with a .905 save percentage.
Avalanche: Averaging 5.4 goals, 9.0 assists, 3.6 penalties and 12.6 penalty minutes while giving up 1.6 goals per game with a .941 save percentage.
INJURIES: Golden Knights: Peyton Krebs: out (upper body), Mattias Janmark: day to day (undisclosed), Brayden McNabb: day to day (health protocols), Tomas Nosek: day to day (undisclosed).
Avalanche: Jacob MacDonald: out (lower body), Bowen Byram: out (upper body), Matt Calvert: out (undisclosed), Dennis Gilbert: out (face).
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