Golden Knights excited to welcome full house at T-Mobile Arena

DENVER — T-Mobile Arena was vacant for the Golden Knights’ run to the Western Conference Final last postseason.

The stands were empty at the start of this regular season.

On Friday, the arena will come fully alive again. The Knights will be allowed to have full capacity when they host the Colorado Avalanche in Game 3 of their second-round series at 7 p.m. Colorado leads the best-of-seven 2-0.

It will be the first time the Knights will play before a full building at home since March 3, 2020. The team has been forced to do so many new things since then, but it’s ready to return to something familiar.

“It’s going to feel great,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “I think for everybody. The players, the coaches, the fans. We’re finally getting this world back to normal again. When I think about the last year and a half, going back to playing in the empty bubble and what we did during the season here with no crowds or limited crowds, it’s going to be refreshing and normal.”

The Knights hope their home crowd can be a weapon as they try to get back into this series. They had the sixth-best home record in the NHL (13-3-1) after they started allowing limited fans March 1.

The Knights were 2-2 at T-Mobile Arena in their first-round series against the Minnesota Wild, including a 6-2 win in Game 7. Captain Mark Stone said after Game 2 the team plans to double that win total in Games 3 and 4.

Fans in attendance won’t have to wear masks if they are fully vaccinated. They also won’t have to complete a health questionnaire before entering the building. No bags are permitted, including small purses and clutches.

“You can’t stress too much until you lose at home,” Stone said. “We’ve got to take care of business in Vegas on Friday night.”

Status updates

DeBoer said Thursday goaltender Robin Lehner and left wing Mattias Janmark are day to day.

Janmark and Lehner did not dress for the Knights’ 3-2 overtime loss in Game 2 on Wednesday.

Janmark was injured in the second period of Game 1 on Sunday after being hit high and late in the corner of the offensive zone by Colorado defenseman Ryan Graves. The play led to Graves going to the penalty box for interference. Lehner was in the net for Game 1 and gave up all seven goals in a 7-1 loss.

Neither participated in the Knights’ practice Tuesday or their optional morning skate Wednesday.

Janmark is the Knights’ leading scorer this postseason with six points in eight games.

Overtime stats

Wednesday’s Game 2 loss dropped the Knights to 0-4 in their last four playoff overtime games.

The losses have followed a similar pattern. None of the games lasted longer than 3:36 in overtime, and three of them featured quick penalties by the Knights.

Game 2 was the second of the four to be ended by a power-play goal. The Knights did not give up a power-play goal to Minnesota in their Game 1 loss May 16, but they lost nine seconds after their penalty expired.

Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.