Avalanche halted by divisional rival in Rookie Showcase finale

"From the outset, Colorado's greatest adversary was not its opponent, but its own lack of discipline. The opening frame was dominated by time spent in the penalty box, forcing the Avalanche to lean heavily on their penalty kill. To their credit, the unit held firm, but the momentum lost to repeated infractions proved costly. Early momentum went to Vegas as they had puck possession nearly the entire first period. They were able to get on the board first and held that lead until the end of the period." -O'Hara, Kay

"The penalty kill, despite being overworked, performed admirably. Goaltender Isak Posch, who had surrendered a single goal in the first game before giving way to Mathis Langevin, shouldered a greater load in this outing. Though Vegas built a 2-0 lead in the second period, Colorado responded. Still, systemic issues persisted. Turnovers repeatedly undercut Colorado's rhythm, whether in their own zone or at critical junctures in the offensive end. Compounding the problem was a consistent inability to win key faceoffs in Vegas territory. In the end, opportunities to seize control were there, but too often they slipped away-or were handed over-before Colorado could capitalize." -O'Hara, Kay