Avalanche ready to leave Las Vegas after another loss

Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar challenged his team — in particular his explosive top line — to show more than they had the previous two games against the Golden Knights.

He didn’t get the desired result.

The Avalanche lost 5-1 to the Knights on Sunday night at T-Mobile Arena in Game 4 of the West Division final, and the best-of-seven series is tied 2-2.

Star center Nathan MacKinnon was limited to three shots on goal. Mikko Rantanen was limited to two and had his 17-game postseason scoring streak snapped. Gabriel Landeskog didn’t get a shot on net.

None of them recorded a point as Colorado’s vaunted top line was again held in check. The three have combined for four points in the past three games after totaling eight in the first.

“I think they’re frustrated for sure,” Bednar said.

Center J.T. Compher, who had an assist on Colorado’s goal in the first period, said the Avs can’t rely on their three stars.

“It’s playoffs,” he said. “Everyone has to produce. Everyone has to be on their game. Up and down the lineup, we need more from everyone, obviously. We have a really good group in there going back to a building we’ve played well in all year. We have to keep the confidence in our game and trust ourselves. There’s plenty of series left.”

The Avalanche remain confident despite being outplayed for the better part of the past three games, mostly because of their success at home, where two of the final three games will be played.

They are 4-0 at Ball Arena in the postseason after going 16-0-1 in the final 17 home games, though the one overtime loss was to the Knights on March 27.

Much of that success was because of a dominant top line that has all of a sudden gone dormant.

Bednar knows he must get them going, but it’s not as easy as keeping them away from the Knights’ top line of Chandler Stephenson, Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone.

“There’s people saying you have to get them away from that line, but they also have the (William Karlsson) line that’s doing just as well and still producing at the other end,” Bednar said. “So there’s some heavy lifting there, and we haven’t found a way.”

Bednar was far less critical than he was after Friday’s loss when he took several shots at his team’s effort, most notably the top line.

“I didn’t have a problem with our intent and the purpose to our game and the way we competed tonight,” he said. “I thought for the most part it was pretty good. At least we entered the fight and got back in it. I didn’t like the results, but it was better tonight.”

Forward Brandon Saad, one of just three Avalanche players to win a Stanley Cup, thinks the team got the message even if the results didn’t come immediately.

“It’s something we have to take upon ourselves as a group,” he said. “Coaches can say as much as they want, but we have to be a mature group and realize when you’re giving up momentum swings, you have to stop the bleeding and get back on track. And when you have it, you’ve got to keep it as long as you can. That’s how the playoffs go.”

Saad insists the Knights aren’t in the Avalanche’s heads despite the way the series dramatically shifted in Las Vegas.

“We didn’t think we’d just come in here and take both games,” he said. “We’re going back to a building where we play well and have success. Best-of-three now.”

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.