The Golden Knights and Avalanche are as evenly matched as teams can be. Case in point: the first meeting was a one-goal win by Vegas and the second needed a last-minute goal.
Colorado's Nazem Kadri put home a bouncing puck with 40 seconds remaining in the third period on Tuesday, sending the Golden Knights to a 3-2 defeat at T-Mobile Arena.
The teams are a combined 1-1 in their two meetings and both have scored three goals each in the two games.
Tuesday's game looked ticketed for overtime before an innocuous point shot got Marc-Andre Fleury out of position, and the puck kicked out to Kadri. He put it home, giving the Avalanche a 3-2 lead.
Vegas called a timeout and pulled Fleury for the extra attacker, but couldn't find its third equalizer of the game.
Down 2-1 in the third Golden Knights scored to tie the game in the third period on a goal that won't win any awards for finesse. The play had Colorado goalie Philipp Grubauer all turned around, and was on his belly facing toward the net when the puck went in. Vegas had a few chances at it, and Jonathan Marchessault was the one to flick it home at 6:52.
That set the stage for Kadri's last-minute goal to win it. Vegas led in shots on goal 29-24 but it wasm't enough.
The Avalanche jumped on the board first at 7:08 of the opening period. Nathan MacKinnon streaked from the left wing to the slot, where he one-timed home a feed from Mikko Rantanen for a 1-0 Colorado lead.
That was it for the first period, but both teams traded goals in the second. First up was Max Pacioretty with a nasty power-play wrister to even the score 1-1. Colorado answered just over a minute later with a Brandon Saad back-hand five-hole shot, and the Avalanche took a 2-1 lead into the third period.
Vegas will have three days off from games before taking on the Avalanche on Saturday at Lake Tahoe.
Golden Knights trail Avalanche heading to 3rd period
The Golden Knights scored in the second period, but unfortunately for them so did the Avalanche.
Vegas briefly tied Tuesday's game in the second period, but a quick response from Colorado put the Golden Knights in a 2-1 hole heading to the third period at T-Mobile Arena.
Vegas came out stronger in the second period, controlling the puck better and keeping the Colorado zone more. Mark Stone had a couple of nice feeds for scoring chances, but Chandler Stephenson went wide with one shot and Zach Whitecloud clanged the post on another.
The Golden Knights had a great look with about six minutes remaining in the second, thanks to a nice individual effort from Keegan Kolesar. The rookie stole the puck at the Colorado blue liine and went in all alone off the turnover but was denied by goalie Philipp Grubauer. The search for his first career goal continues.
That was Vegas' best chance at 5-on-5, but its first power play of the game proved fruitful. William Carrier drew the penalty and Max Pacioretty made it hurt, sending a frozen rope into the top corner 31 seconds into the man advantage for his second game in a row with a goal to tie it 1-1.
The tie game would not last, as Brandon Saad put the Avalanche right back on top 63 seconds after Pacioretty's goal. Saad worked his way to the front of the net and slid the puck between Marc-Andre Fleury's leg on the backhand at 17:39.
Vegas led in shots on goal 19-17 through two periods.
Golden Knights down a goal vs. Avalanche
The Golden Knights and Avalanche can both show off fits of blazing team speed. In the first period, the Avalanche were a little better.
Colorado scored the only goal of the period, and Vegas trailed 1-0 after 20 minutes at T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday.
Even after the shutout on Sunday, the Golden Knights weren't going to keep the Avalanche off the board forever, and especially not Nathan MacKinnon. The Colorado star ripped home the first goal of the game at 7:08 of the first on a one-timer after darting across the ice and into the slot for the feed from Mikko Rantanen.
That was an even-strength goal, a game-state that Colorado controlled in the early-goings. Vegas looked the best on the penalty kill, where it got plenty of work with three in the first 12 minutes of the game. The Golden Knights killed off all three and did not allow a shot.
Vegas went nearly eight minutes of game action without a shot on goal as a product of those penalties, but kept the deficit to just a goal.
Colorado led in shots on goal 9-7 in the first period.
Pregame
The Golden Knights are getting a boost to their blue line tonight.
Defenseman Shea Theodore is expected to rejoin the Vegas lineup after missing three games. He was back at practice today for the first time since leaving the Feb. 9 game, worked on the power-play at morning skate and looks to pick up where he left off when the Golden Knights host the Colorado Avalanche at 7 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena.
"I think anytime you miss games, you definitely miss being out there," Theodore said. "It's exciting to get back into the routine and be on the ice tonight."
Theodore appeared to sustain an injury on Feb. 9 against the Ducks. He left the ice during the first period, returned for the second and did not play in the third period. He did not play the next three games.
It put a pause on what was shaping up to be a career year for the 25-year-old. Despite missing three games, Theodore still leads team defensemen with three goals and 10 points in 10 games. He has never produced at a point per game in his career, with his best output coming last season when he registered 46 points in 71 games.
"Shea obviously helps us in all areas," coach Pete DeBoer said. "You're adding a world-class player into your lineup and a guy that can change the game on any given shift."
His return comes at a time the Golden Knights have struggled to score, particularly at 5-on-5. In three games without Theodore, Vegas scored four times and just once at even strength.
DeBoer pushed back on the idea that Vegas wasn't doing enough, particularly after defeating Colorado 1-0 on Sunday. The team was playing on back-to-back nights for the first time this season and was playing its third game in four days and sixth in 10 days. The Golden Knights still shut out the Avalanche, one of the best teams in the league with one of the most high-powered offenses.
"I thought we went toe-to-toe for big parts of that game under tough circumstances," DeBoer said. "I think we want to do a lot more of the same, fix a few things and go back at it here."
The Golden Knights are still missing goalie Robin Lehner, who has an upper-body injury, and forward Tomas Nosek, who is in league COVID-19 protocol after a positive test last week.
The Avalanche are missing captain Gabriel Landeskog, defenseman Samuel Girard and forward Tyson Jost to COVID-19 protocols. Defenseman and reigning Calder Trophy winner as the league's top rookie Cale Makar is a game-time decision after missing Sunday's game.
Marc-Andre Fleury is expected to start in net for the Golden Knights after his 30-save shutout on Sunday. This will mark his fifth straight start, and he was named the NHL's second star of the week for his previous four outings.
TV: AT&T Sports Net (DirecTV 684, Cox 1313, CenturyLink 1760)
Radio: Fox Sports 1340 AM and 98.9 FM
Betting line: Golden Knights minus-115, Avalanche minus-105; over/under: 5.5 (minus-120, under-EVEN)
Golden Knights (10-2-1, 21 points; 1st place, West Division)
Coach: Peter DeBoer (second season)
Points leader: Mark Stone (16)
Goals leader: Max Pacioretty (7)
Assists leader: Mark Stone (12)
Expected goalie: Marc-Andre Fleury (1.38 GAA, .944 save percentage)
Avalanche (7-4-1, 15 points; t-4th place, West Division)
Coach: Jared Bednar (sixth season)
Points leader: Nathan MacKinnon (14)
Goals leader: Mikko Rantanen (7)
Assists leader: Nathan MacKinnon (12)
Expected goalie: Philipp Grubauer (1.61 GAA, .937 save percentage)
Golden Knights projected lineup
Forwards
Max Pacioretty—Chandler Stephenson—Mark Stone
Jonathan Marchessault—William Karlsson—Reilly Smith
Keegan Kolesar—Cody Glass—Alex Tuch
William Carrier—Nicolas Roy—Ryan Reaves
Defensemen
Alec Martinez—Alex Pietrangelo
Nick Holden—Shea Theodore
Nicolas Hague—Zach Whitecloud
Goalies
Marc-Andre Fleury, Oscar Dansk
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