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Jared Bednar Colorado Avalanche

Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar explained why his team is in a 0-3 hole against the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Golden Knights defeated the Avs 5-3 on Sunday night to take a commanding 3-0 series lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference Finals. For an Avs team that finished first place in the NHL during the regular season and won the Presidents’ Trophy, this has been a shocking turn of events.

In the first two rounds of the playoffs, the Avs swept the Los Angeles Kings 4-0 and beat the Minnesota Wild 4-1. They were the Stanley Cup favorite entering the playoffs, and after those two series, no one could have predicted they would be on the verge of being swept out of the postseason by the Golden Knights. But here we are.

Jared Bednar Explains the Avs Struggles in the WCF

Speaking to reporters after Game 3, Bednar was asked why his team is in a 0-3 hole, and the head coach offered his honest thoughts on it.

“It’s a good team we’re playing. It’s a really good team. For me, the story, even if I can take parts of Game 2, is getting out and sustaining our game for a full 60 (minutes). That’s against difficult competition. If you make a mistake, they capitalize on it. They’re very good at finishing off their chances,” Bednar said.

“Poor start to Game 1 cost us the game. Played a great game after that. Nine-minute stretch in the second period today (in Game 3) cost us the game. It’s hard to argue with anything we did in the first, the latter part of the second, third period, it’s hard to get stuff going. They got a lead and it’s almost impossible, right?

“For me, it’s the full 60-minute, competitiveness at times, puck-moving, and some turnovers that kind of get you. They’re going to make it difficult for you on the other end, but you have to create enough chances and finish off enough to win the hockey game.”

Avs Big Underdog to Come Back and Win Series

According to Kalshi, the Golden Knights have a 90% chance of upsetting the Avalanche and advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals. Given that Colorado entered this series as the favorite to win the cup, it’s been downright shocking to see them lose the first three games of the series and be on the ropes heading into Game 4 in Vegas.

Should the Avs lose, there have already been rumblings on social media that Bednar’s job could be on the line. That doesn’t seem fair, since Bednar has already won a cup with the Avs and has proven he is one of the game’s elite hockey minds. But this Avs team is built to win now, and if he can’t get them over the hump, changes could be made behind the bench.

Things are certainly looking bleak for Colorado at the moment, and they have dug themselves a massive hole to get out of. But if there’s any team that is going to overcome a 0-3 deficit, it’s a team like Colorado.