Recap: Vegas struggled to stay on the ice in the 1st period. The Avalanche were awarded six minutes in power play opportunities which the Golden Knights killed all three penalties. However, Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon scored his third of the year to give Colorado a 1-0 lead.
Max Pacioretty tied the game with a 2nd period power play goal for his eighth of the season. The Avalanche regained the lead a minute later to take a 2-1 edge into the second intermission.
The Golden Knights brought heavy pressure in the 3rd period and it paid off. Jonathan Marchessault popped in the tying goal with heavy traffic in front of the net. Nazem Kadri scored the winning goal :41 seconds remaining in the game to pull of the 3-2 victory.
With their 3-2 loss to the Avalanche, the Golden Knights record drops to 10-3-1. Vegas and Colorado resume their series on Saturday afternoon outdoors at Lake Tahoe. Game is scheduled for 12 PM PT. (Recap by Jason)
Analysis: Another excellent game between the best two teams in the West Division came down to the final minutes. Vegas did well to keep battling and stay in the game, tying it multiple times. But the speed of Colorado just kept coming at Vegas and they eventually broke late. This Avs team is very dangerous and the Golden Knights are going to need a heck of a plan to beat them if (probably when) these two match up in the West Division Championship series. (Analysis by Ken)
Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs Colorado Avalanche at T-Mobile Arena
- VGK near to use the next few months and the deadline to gear up to beat Colorado. Not saying they can’t do it, but that should be the sole focus between now and May.
Ken’s Three VGK Stars
*** Zach Whitecloud
** Jonathan Marchessault
* Alex Tuch
Just as VGK outworked the Avs in front of the COL net, VGK got worked in front of their own net. Cost them a point in the standings (maybe 2).
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) February 17, 2021
I'm getting that VGK Expansion vibe back, except VGK are on the other side.
Worked so hard to get back in the game and then and a sudden burst of speed gets the lead right back.
I honestly think the Golden Knights may need to look at upgrading their speed at the deadline.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) February 17, 2021
VGK doing a much better job of puck management to start the 2nd. Make them skate 200 feet through 5 people and they don't seem as fast.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) February 17, 2021
Daryl
I’m thrilled VGK has split the first two games but I have a question for you…. does it worry you that VGK split and had some trouble with COL knowing they were without 5 starters? Not only that, they hadn’t played in almost 2 weeks.
Ken Boehlke
Yes, it worries me. That team is very very good. I think VGK need to upgrade to beat them in a 7 game series.
Sullivan
Barely hanging with the Avs when they’re missing Makar and Landeskog is inexcusable. And Petro needs to show up already, Whitecloud is playing better than he is!
Julie
I was wondering the same about Petro. Someone said he did great in the last game. This game there was an instant he had the puck and could have scored because Grubuer didn’t see the situation. And Petro hesitated and nothing came of it. I know he’s thought of as a great player, but if he is one of those “he is great in subtle ways” kind of players, I am not seeing how he is producing. I am glad Theodore is back and hope Saturday he is back to his old self.
THE hockey GOD
BREAKING NEWS:
Numerous unsubstantiated, anonymous sources have been leaking the following: after the game it has been rumored that assistant , junior, equipment Manager and jack-of-all- trades Marty “EYEGOR” Feldman was seen leading a donkey drawn cart down towards the dungeons of the Golden Knights Castle Fortress (that same dungeron where it has been speculated that suspended, disgraced forward Valentine Zykov had been banished because his whereabouts where previously unreported until recently). The cart appeared to be carrying a load of very large shiny head sized golden nuggets. On the back of the cart there was a white placard roughly attached, askew with hand scribbled note that read: “JINXED !!!! YOU’RE FIRED” it was signed by Donald J. Trump.
Julie
The golden helmets are indeed 0-2. 🙂
Tim
I felt bad after the game can you imagine how Flower felt getting that close to getting points after he played another great game and end up with zip. Right now if your objective were the third best team in the west with Tampa Bay and Colorado ahead of us. How we bridge that gap by the playoffs is why management gets the big money.
Hdbiker7851
Tim – problem with mgt getting big money they spend foolishly on contracts and put the team in a cap hell hole. If they were paid for performance they would be unemployed. Felt bad for flower but you could see it coming – vegas was playing for a tie and Colorado had winning on their minds. The knights will have the hands full this next couple of games. Noticed remark from someone about our 8.8 mill investment which is not providing the ROI necessary to warrant that expebditure.
Daryl
Yeah but that comment was made by a girl… What did she know about hockey lol
THE hockey GOD
Daryl and other brother Daryl, it’s just not right to pick on girls !!
THG
Hdbiker7851
Daryl – be carefully she has a lot of Canadian teachers who are probably very knowledgable about th he game of hockey. Not much else to do at 30 below zero. Smile Julie hope your doing well and not terribly disappointed about last night – Colorado could have won by more than one as Vegas couldn’t keep up which may be a bigger problem down the road. Hope flower is in the net saturday, playing outdoors should be great for everyone and remind them of their youth. Get rid of those helmets for sure 0- 2 wearing them and they obviously don’t blind the competition.
Julie
🙂 It’s all good, HD! But just to show how hooked I am on hockey now, I cancelled my Valentine’s Day dinner because it overlapped with the VGK game on Sunday. I am not sure, but I think I saw tears welling up in my husband’s eyes.
To keep busy after work, I am now looking at stats on centers that maybe we can trade Petro for, ha ha. Perhaps an even swap like DuBois and Laine did, who knows. McDavid is too expensive, but Crosby is cheaper than Petro, maybe he wants to rejoin his pal MAF. Although, I think we want someone young and amazing, right, Daryl? Any ideas? Do we have to consider how they look in shiny gold helmets? Oh, I hope we can skip that.
Julie
Speaking of ROI, I am hopeful that Lehner doesn’t play in Tahoe. I feel like it’s a special event and Fleury should get the go ahead even if Lehner’s mysterious injury is cleared up. Fleury will be rested by then.
Sidenote, I wondered why no details on Lehner yet we get them for McNabb, Petro, etc when they are out. Simple answer is they don’t want anyone to know what the issue is.
Daryl
It is strange they would give details about the others but not Lehner….
vgk21
really poor game by William Karlsson. He was in large part responsible for Col goals 1 and 3. He let his man MacKinnon get open for the first goal, and he let his man, Kadri, get inside position after the faceoff on him for the winning goal. bad night for wild Bill.
THE hockey GOD
i agree he was a step slow and time/space element eluded him. #28 played a heck of a game though, too bad his line mates were MIA.
sb
Bottom line: Colorado had seven starters out of the line up. What happens when they’re all back? Those role players/good locker room leaders/fan favorites Carrier and Reaves (add in Nosek, 10 games) have a total of two points between them in 14 GAMES! These three have comtributed 3 points in 14 games at the cost of $4.7 million. You can get more from Kolesar, Brown and Roy for $2.1 mil, save $2.6 mil. Move these three if any team will take them. Add Brown and VGK saves the cash and gets more production. Gotta have that talented 1st line playmaking center for Pac and Stone. The poor, disorganized PP and inability to win O Zone faceoffs are evidence that a high caliber puck hadling center is badly needed. Stephenson is needed on the third line with Tuch and Glass. Trade three, add two.
Julie
Side note: that 22 yr old baseball kid Tatris (sp?) – just got a 14 yr contract for 340m. Is baseball as exciting as hockey? I don’t think so. Crazy world.
THE hockey GOD
Fernando Tatis Jr. , plays for San Diego Padres. I have no idea how this small market team can afford all this big salaries. HE is good but normally when someone signs a big contract they don’t perform the next season due to pressure to perform. I don’t see the PADRES passing the DODGERS any time soon to win a title.