Martin Nečas Says Pressure Is a Privilege Before Game 1
martin nečas said playoff pressure is welcome as Colorado prepared for Game 1 against Minnesota. After practice at Family Sports Center, the Avalanche winger called the moment a good place to be and said the group is enjoying the spotlight.
Family Sports Center focus
Nečas delivered the quote that set the tone: "Pressure is a privilege, right?" He added that the playoffs are "a nice spot to be in" and said the team is enjoying the spotlight before opening the Stanley Cup Playoffs series.
That message fits a Colorado team that has not asked him to carry everything on his own. The roster is deep enough that the Avalanche can win without turning every shift into a scoring chase for one winger, and that shows up in how the staff talks about the first line and the power play.
Nečas against the Kings
His first-round series gave the clearest proof of where he is right now. Nečas had two points against the Kings, but he was scoreless on 12 shots, a split line that leaves room for more finishing as Minnesota arrives.
Jared Bednar did not dismiss the outing. "I thought his series was OK," the coach said, adding, "You know, I thought he was committed on the defensive side." Bednar also said, "He’s got to get a little harder, I think, as the playoffs go on."
Colorado has lived with that balance before. Nathan MacKinnon scored the club's first power play goal in 10 postseason attempts against the Kings last Sunday, a reminder that special teams remain a swing point even with a lineup built to spread the puck around. Bednar said the Avalanche can impact the power play more with better decisions.
Avalanche depth and stakes
Nečas has already logged 11 Stanley Cup games with Colorado since arriving in the trade with Carolina 17 months ago, and the team is 7-4 in those games. When he records at least one point in the postseason, Colorado is 4-1, a tidy marker for a player who does not need every chance to end up on his stick for the Avalanche to keep control of a series.
The immediate task is simple for Colorado: carry the Kings lessons into Minnesota without waiting for one scorer to save the night. Nečas has already said the right thing about the pressure, and the Avalanche now have to turn that mindset into a first win in the series.
