Eric Francis

Despite remaining without Cale Makar, the Avalanche insist they have the answers within their lineup as they look to rebound against the Golden Knights in Game 2.

DENVER — John Tortorella punctuated the evening by anointing Jack Eichel the world's best two-way forward.

LAS VEGAS — This series is officially Dude, Where's Makar? It has been a common refrain around the rink. Every morning skate becomes a stakeout.

LAS VEGAS — For a fleeting 20 minutes, it looked like the return of Cale Makar might actually be the answer.

Mitch Marner isn't just showing up in these Stanley Cup Playoffs. He's dictating outcomes.And, as Eric Francis writes, his post-season play with Vegas has put him five wins away from changing a narrative that's dogged him for years.

Jared Bednar announced Tuesday morning Nathan MacKinnon will play and Mackenzie Blackwood will start in net for Game 4 Tuesday (8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+) with hopes they can stave off elimination at the hands of the Golden Knights.

The Avalanche weren’t blown out. They weren’t embarrassed. They were simply beaten by a team that executed every little thing a tiny bit better.And as a result, the Golden Knights are headed to their third Stanley Cup Final in nine seasons.

Click here to view this image from VerdeNews.

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Rasmus Andersson is battling difficult emotions as he enters his first Stanley Cup Final following the loss of his long-time agent Claude Lemieux.