Behind Fleury’s Saves, Golden Knights Defeat Colorado In Pivotal Division Game, 5-2, Wednesday
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By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
Final Score: Vegas Golden Knights 5 Colorado Avalanche 2
Key Player: VGK goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, stopping 35 of 37 shots with a little help from his posts
Key Goal Scorer: Max Pacioretty with two
Key Pass and Play: Mark Stone’s gorgeous feed to Pacioretty in first minute of third period
Consecutive Wins for Vegas: 10
VGK record: 35-11-2, best in NHL — off to Arizona for two games, Friday and Saturday
VGK coach Pete DeBoer: “Our destiny is in our own hands which is what you want heading into the last two weeks of the season.”
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It took a whole 10 seconds for the Vegas Golden Knights to score a record-quick goal and jump on the Colorado Avalanche in the season’s most important game at T-Mobile Arena.
William Karlsson fired a backhander past the six-foot, six-inch body of Colorado netminder Devan Dubnyk at 19:50 and the 3,950 fans rejoiced (well, minus the Colorado Avalanche ones.)
During this truncated 56-game pandemic season, with Colorado, Minnesota and St. louis now in the West Division for this COVID-19 season only, the Knights vs Avalanche games have been must-see TV this season. Indeed, NBC Sports Network was broadcasting this game to a national audience. Although, it’s the final season for NBC as ESPN and Turner Sports have seven-year multi-media broadcast deals with the National Hockey League.
Karlsson’s 13th goal of the season had the Golden Knights up a goal until Colorado’s Devon Toews knotted the game at one as the Avs took control of the game.
Fleury played well during the first 20 minutes. The Avs also hit a post or two and could have been leading on Pride Night in the building.
After one period: Golden Knights 1 Colorado 1
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The Golden Knights didn’t get a shot on goal until forward Pacioretty scored a power play goal midway through the second period. It wasn’t a very hard shot, but it snuck through the Dubnyk five hole and the Knights were up 2-1.
It was Pacioretty’s 23rd of the season.
We’re in a good spot here. Our goal now is to try to gel and get even better in these final eight games. — Max Pacioretty
Then it was time for Pacioretty’s line mate, Stone, to get on the scoring board. He did some gritty work at the net, and flipped a bank-shot off Dubnyk’s butt for his 19th goal of the season.
The Knights were up, 3-1, with Fleury playing rock-solid in the middle stanza.
But the Avs responded.
Colorado’s Ryan Graves notched his second goal of the season and the Knights’ lead was cut to 3-2.
And that’s the way the second period ended: Vegas 3 Colorado 2
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Even with 3,950 fans in the seats, there was a playoff buzz inside the building. And only 55 seconds into the third period, Pacioretty took a gorgeous pass from Stone, who waited at the precise moment during the two-on-one break to feed his high-scoring line mate and give Patches an open net to fire in his second of the evening.
The Knights led, 4-2, in period three.
There are things we can clean up, but getting the two points and creating some separation is huge for us. — Mark Stone
The Knights had the two-goal lead for most of the final period until Jonathan Marchessault scored an empty-netter to complete the scoring for the 5-2 win. VGK are now six points up on Colorado, which has played one less game.
Wednesday’s NHL scores:
