The Vegas Golden Knights are not letting the thin air of Denver get into their heads as they prepare to face the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference final. Game 1 is set for Wednesday night at Ball Arena, where the elevation sits at 5,280 feet—exactly one mile above sea level.

While altitude can affect even elite athletes, the Knights are brushing aside any concerns. Forward Ivan Barbashev acknowledged the potential for some initial discomfort but downplayed its impact. “I’m probably going to feel it at some point over the first couple shifts, but not really,” he said. “You just have to keep playing. We’ve played at altitude a lot. It really doesn’t matter.”

Defenseman Brayden McNabb echoed that sentiment, noting that overthinking the altitude could be counterproductive. “It’s something, for sure. But it’s not like we’ve never done it. People might make a big deal about it, but you can’t overthink it. It is what it is,” McNabb said.

The Knights may already have an advantage from their first-round series against the Utah Mammoth, played in Salt Lake City at 4,327 feet. They closed out that series with a 5-1 victory in Game 6, showing no signs of fatigue. Some believe that repeated exposure to altitude can aid acclimation, both mentally and physically.

Head coach John Tortorella dismissed the notion that altitude is a major factor, calling it “overrated.” He added, “We’re certainly aware of it, but if you spend too much time talking about it and fixing this and going there and oxygen here, it manifests itself into something bigger than it should be. We might have to catch a couple breaths here along the way, but we’ll be fine.”