Podcast 113-2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs: West Division Semi Finals Preview

This is an extension of podcast 113-2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Semi-Finals Preview.

The Result of the Vegas/Minnesota series is still unknown, so I will do a preview with both of the teams included.

West Division Semi-Finals

Colorado Avalanche vs Vegas Golden Knights/Minnesota Wild

Key Players:  COL-F: N.MacKinnon, M.Rantanen, G.Landeskog, Alex Newhook, A.Burakovsky, J.Donskoi, Tyson Jost, Valeri Nischuskin | D: C.Makar, S.Girard, D.Toews, R.Graves

VGK-F: M.Stone, J.Marchessault, W.Karlsson, R.Smith, A.Tuch, C.Stephenson, Cody Glass, Mattias Janmark | D: S.Theodore, A.Pietrangelo, A.Martinez, B.McNabb, Z.Whitecloud

MIN-F: K.Kaprizov, M.Zuccarello, K.Fiala, J.Eriksson Ek, J.Greenway, M.Foligno, V.Rask, N.Bjugstad, R.Hartman | D: J.Spurgeon, R.Suter, M.Dumba, J.Brodin

X-Factor: JT Compher (COL), Nicholas Roy (VGK)/Z.Parise (MIN)

Goalies: P.Grubauer (COL) vs M-A.Fleury (VGK)/ C.Talbot (MIN)

If you are the Colorado Avalanche right now, I think they would rather face the Vegas Golden Knights than the Minnesota Wild

because without Max Pacioretty, the Golden Knights lack depth scoring to match the scoring of Colorado.

Minnesota on the other hand has a more structured and defensive style of play, which is better when going up against a team like Colorado.

In the regular season, the Avalanche had a 4-4-0 record against the Golden Knights, and a 5-3-0 record against the Wild,

with the Avs outscoring the Wild 31-25, and the Golden Knights outscoring the Avalanche 18-17.

As we have learned in the playoffs before, any team can beat, so the Colorado Avalanche will have to do not take either of these two teams lightly.

The Colorado Avalanche is one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup, and they showed why in the first round against the St.Louis Blues.

Colorado will be without Nazem Kadri from this series, but they still have plenty of firepower.

The Avs offensive attack is spearheaded by Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Gabriel Landeskog, with players like Joonas Donskoi, Andre Burakovsky, Alex Newhook, and Valeri Nischuskin providing secondary scoring. Whenever defenseman like Cale Makar, Sam Girard, or Devon Toews are on the ice, the Avalanche are impossible to defend against because the defenseman are capable

of making dynamic plays with and without the puck.

Philipp Grubauer wasn't tested much in the St.Louis series, but he will be in the next round, whether they face Vegas or Minnesota;

he will need to play well for them to advance.

If Colorado ends up facing Vegas, watch out for the William Karlsson line with Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith;

that line always seems to elevate the play in the playoffs.

If Max Pacioretty remains out, Alex Tuch will need to be productive playing on the Mark Stone line;

Tuch playing on the Stone line means that their depth will be a bit weak, so they will need some unsung heroes to step up.

Defensively, Alex Pietrangelo and Alec Martinez will have the tall task of shutting down Nathan MacKinnon;

if they can't do that, it will be a long series.

Shea Theodore needs to produce offensively if they want to match Colorado's scoring from their blueline.

Marc-Andre Fleury is the goalie you want in your net when facing a star-powered offense; after all, Fleury has faced his share of high-powered offenses in his career.

If Colorado ends up facing Minnesota the line to keep an eye on is the line that has been kept together the entire season,

J.Greenway-Joel Eriksson Ek-Marcus Foligno; this line is going to be tasked with shutting down the Nathan MacKinnon line.

Kirill Kaprizov and Kevin Fiala were inconsistent during the first round against the Wild but played better as the series went on.

Zach Parise hasn't seen much playing time, but he certainly has made the most out of his playing time, as he has brought intensity and energy on every shift he plays

Perhaps the most consistent player in the first round for Minnesota was Ryan Hartman, who generated tons of scoring chances;

he needs to continue his strong play because he plays on the line with Kaprizov.

A major reason why the Wild was able to force a Game 7 was because of their stingy defense,

anchored by Ryan Suter, Jared Spurgeon, Matt Dumba, and Jonas Brodin;

these 4 defensemen will need to be at the top of their game in order for Minnesota to beat Colorado.

Colorado should be the Favorites regardless of which team they face, but I think Minnesota is the team that could give them more trouble.

Predictions: COL beats VGK in 6, COL beats MIN in 6.