Live updates, injury reports, analysis and more as the Avalanche face the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 1 of NHL’s Western Conference Final at Ball Arena. .

To put it bluntly: Is this Colorado team just better than Vegas?

Cale Makar will not play in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final.

Bad Shoulder? Bum hip? Both? Neither? Avalanche star Cale Makar may be part cyborg, but even the tightest machines can’t hide a busted axle. Every round for No. 8 right now feels like a roll of the dice.

The Golden Knights need not apologize for bad luck and incompetence of others. But their vapor trail of success reeks of arrogance and entitlement. And that is just from headlines over the past week.

Nathan MacKinnon is an open burn book. Sit with him? Dude, you can’t even skate with him.

No Avs player knows the Golden Knights better than Nicolas Roy, who said he’s stil