PARADISE, NEVADA — The Vegas Golden Knights host the Colorado Avalanche in Game Three of the NHL Western Conference Final on Friday at T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, with Vegas leading the series 2-0. The game is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. MDT and will be broadcast on ESPN, CBC, SN, SN+, TVAS and TVAS+, with radio coverage on Altitude Sports Radio KKSE-FM 92.5 FM.

The Avalanche dropped both home games to open the series, falling 4-2 in Game One on a game-winning goal from Brett Howden and 3-1 in Game Two after Vegas scored three third-period goals. Colorado scored first in Game Two before Ivan Barbashev netted the game-winner. Barbashev has two goals and one assist in the series. Vegas has outscored Colorado 5-2 in third periods, including two empty-net goals, and has won both road games.

Colorado outshot Vegas in both games but has generated limited production from its top forwards. Nathan MacKinnon has one assist and four shots through two games, while Brock Nelson and Martin Nečas have no points. Gabe Landeskog scored Colorado's only power play goal on five attempts. Valeri Nichushkin and Ross Colton have also scored for the Avalanche.

Defenseman Cale Makar missed the first two games with an undisclosed injury and is listed as day to day. "No one can go into Cale's body and feel what he's feeling, so when he feels like he can do all the things he needs to be able to do out on the ice to play, then he's going to make the decision to play," Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said.

Scott Wedgewood, who played most of Game Two, is expected to start in goal for Colorado, with Mackenzie Blackwood as backup. The projected Avalanche forward group includes Artturi Lehkonen, MacKinnon, Nečas, Landeskog, Nelson, Nichushkin, Colton, Nazem Kadri, Nicolas Roy, Parker Kelly, Jack Drury and Logan O'Connor. The defense pairings are projected to feature Devon Toews, Sam Malinski, Josh Manson, Brent Burns, Brett Kulak and Nick Blankenburg.

For Vegas, forward Mark Stone is expected to return to the lineup, though he has also been listed as day to day with a lower-body injury. Defenseman Jeremy Lauzon remains out with an upper-body injury. Pavel Dorofeyev has one goal and two assists in the series and has recorded nine goals and four assists over his last 10 games. Eichel also has one goal and two assists in the series.

The Avalanche enter Game Three with an 8-3 playoff record. The Golden Knights are 10-4 in the postseason and 8-2-0 over their last 10 games, averaging 3.8 goals per game.