Graney: Golden Knights make amends for Game 1 debacle but still lose

DENVER — One pregame theory went like this: That the Golden Knights on Wednesday, coming off an embarrassing 7-1 loss to Colorado in Game 1 of the best-of-seven West Division final, could actually respond with a terrific effort and still not be rewarded at game’s end.

Amazing. It actually happened.

Colorado beat the Knights 3-2 when Mikko Rantanen scored at 2:07 of overtime, capping an evening at Ball Arena where those visiting were the better team in every phase except the one that counts most.

The Avalanche, who lead the series 2-0, were outshot 41-25.

“We all knew that wasn’t us in Game 1,” Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury said. “I thought we battled back real hard in this one. I’m sure guys have been there, down 2-0, but it doesn’t matter. We all have confidence that we can come back in this series.”

Opener a mirage

This is the sort of game hockey fans expected when the matchup was made official, the two best teams during the regular season playing to see which could reach four wins first and advance to the semifinals.

The opener was a mirage. Colorado is the NHL’s best team, but in no manner is the margin between it and the Knights to the degree we witnessed Sunday. Not close.

Folks watched Game 1 and thought Alabama football against your local high school. Couldn’t be further from the truth.

It was proven in Game 2.

It was always going to be about the beginning for the Golden Knights, about how they would respond after that blowout loss once the puck dropped.

What happened?

CBS hasn’t shown a better episode of “Survivor” than what the Knights offered over that first period.

They couldn’t stay out of the box, but killed off three of four Colorado power plays in those first 20 minutes. And then they responded with as fine a second period as coach Pete DeBoer could have hoped.

Yes. It got hectic. But you’re going to win a lot of playoff games forechecking as the Knights did, keeping things in the offensive zone and wearing down an opposing defense while at the same time slowing a ridiculously potent attack through the neutral zone.

There’s your scouting report on how to handle and compete with Colorado. Impossible as it is to accomplish at times.

It would pay off with a Reilly Smith goal to tie things 2-2 with 9:32 remaining in the second.

Problem: The Knights would never again find net. Kept hitting post after post. It was then Smith — he must have hit three himself — who took an offensive zone penalty early in overtime that led to Rantanen’s game winner.

It was the sixth penalty called on the Knights, who killed off all but two.

Back to Vegas

“It’s never easy when you lose in the playoffs,” DeBoer said. “But we feel good about our game. We were out to prove after Game 1 that we can play with this team, and we did that. We’re planning on making this a long series.”

Next up: Game 3 on Friday night at T-Mobile Arena, where the venue will return to full capacity for the remainder of these playoffs. It holds 18,000 for hockey, and no masks will be required for those vaccinated attendees.

Meaning things will be at a decibel level, oh, 10 times more intense than your typical regular-season game.

Meaning it will be even crazier than usual when there isn’t a seat to be had.

“You can’t stress too much until you lose at home,” Knights captain Mark Stone said. “Take care of business in Vegas.”

Play as they did Wednesday, and that’s more than possible.

Ed Graney is a Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for sports column writing and can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be heard on “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on Twitter.