Recap: The Golden Knights were hoping to clinch a playoff spot with a victory in Colorado. The Avalanche struck first with a power play goal, but Vegas’s Mark Stone answered right back with a PPG of his own. After 20 minutes, the game was locked in a 1-1 tie.
Pavel Dorofeyev recorded his 36th goal of the season minutes into the middle frame. Colorado evened the score midway through the period and the game remained 2-2 after 40 minutes of action.
The 3rd period went scoreless, which forced overtime, and a Jack Eichel game-winning goal qualified Vegas for the 2026 postseason.
The Golden Knights record improves to 37-26-17 defeating the Avalanche 3-2 in OT.
Next, Vegas will head back home for their two final games of the regular season. Puck drop against the Winnipeg Jets on Monday night is scheduled for 7 PM. (Recap by Jason)
Analysis: The Golden Knights had an opportunity to go out and snatch up a playoff spot against a team with zero motivation to play at all. The game didn’t look that way, which in the end is probably a good thing for VGK as the Avs gave that game everything they had and the Golden Knights came out on the right side of it. Much better pace to the game which is important to see and the defensive structure held up well enough. Two games left to determine seeding now. VGK can still land anywhere between 1st and 4th in the division. (Analysis by Ken)
Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs. Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena.
- The new usage of Rasmus Andersson
Ken’s Three VGK Stars
*** Carter Hart
** Mark Stone
* Jack Eichel
rb7
YES!
Jack finally woke up from his Olympic hangover, and delivered the clutch goal to propel the Vgk to first place and a playoff spot.
Hart is definitely #1, don’t wanna see Hill anymore.
Pistol Pete
Eichel comes through when it matters the most. We are in the postseason for the eighth time in nine seasons and have a chance to win our fifth division title. The Oilers have not won one since 1986-87. That is 39 years and it looks like they’ll have to go through the Avs to end the drought!
Did we just watch a preview of the conference final?
The coaching change with each passing game is looking more and more like yet another astute move by the brainy experienced McPhee and McCrimmon. Torts has the group playing with pace and intensity.
P. S.
Nice to see Pav get a strong on the puck 5 on 5 goal in such a crucial game.
Pistol Pete
Marner makes the playoffs his old team does not.
Pistol Pete
As for the division race:
EDM vs. COL/VAN
ANA vs. VAN/MiN/NSH
LAK vs.SEA/VAN/CGY
VGK vs. WPG/SEA
I like our chances to take the division. Kings placing in the division is very possible.
TS
Really gratifying to slip into the Playoffs by beating the #1 team! I did NOT expect that— OT wins are so rare these days!
There is still life in the Knights, and our season continues….
knights fan in minny
Carter Hart is the man Or was it the new mask What a fantastic Frozen 4 Championship game at T Mobile There are a lot of college free agents out there hope Vegas was watching
TS
Shoot, i missed it! What was i doing, gardening and chores? Curses, chores!!
DeezNutz
STARTER HART
TS
Absolutely, cle
arly HART has earned his place as #1!
Isn’t it refreshing to see a goalie STOP PUCKS? HELL, YEAH!!
Pistol Pete
HSK leading the Barracuda 3-1 with about 5 min. left. Connelly has a goal and an assist on another Bowman goal. How does Connelly-Hertl-Bowman sound?
Lindbom in net. How does Hart-Lindbom sound?
Walt
it sounds weak defensively, not a chance those 3 could face NHL top lines. Bowman was minus 16, so is Hertl minus 16, and Connelly has zero experience.
Pistol Pete
Young players improve with experience defensively. Hertl is what he is a proven points producer.
Pistol Pete
The VGK prospect pool is very much underrated imo.
We have three players very likely to make the roster in Bowman, Connelly and Lindbom. Bowman is already up actually he had to be sent down to clear cap space for Hart.
Bowman and Connelly are both over a point a game in the AHL this season and Lindbom’s stats are outstanding.
Then we have Raphael Lavoie who is even more better a point a game this season than Bowman and Connelly. At 6’4” 217 he might just make 4th line winger.
There is also the 22 year-old centerman Kai Uchacz another possible 4th liner. He’s a very respectable 17G/31A (48 pts in 65 games) this season.
JoeInHendo
Agree 100% starting Hart over Hill at this point. I appreciate all Hill has done for VGK (and paid handsomely for his past efforts), but Hart’s more reactive and in the goalie zone more than Hill right now. Hart looked great tonight taking on some of the best shooters in the NHL for the win. The old cliche of gotta stick with the hot hand usually rings true. And I’m wondering if Avs Coach Bednar suffer some bad karma by playing his starters in a meaningless game tonight? Only Karma came for him directly instead of a starter getting hurt? I’m actually glad Bednar put his starters out there, can only help VGK’s mindset beating the Avalanche at full strength heading into the playoffs.
DeezNutz
I think Bednar did the honorable thing by not benching his top guys. It would be unfair to other teams fighting for playoff spots and positioning. You sit your guys on game 82 or when you are facing teams already eliminated.
TS
Announcers were duly impressed with Hart’s acrobatic play, and i was, too. After watching not one, but two Turtles in Lehner and Hill, Hart plays like lightning!
They also mentioned that with Hart, the VGK have a complete team, a legit contender.
It only took.the entire season to get it right, but it feels like a playoff run is now possible. I’m much more confident with a competent G and the team behind him
.
Pistol Pete
It does seem likely they’ll try to engineer a trade with Hill, Need the cap space just not sure how they’ll be able to do it. Probably will have to carry some of his cap hit one way or another,
Pistol Pete
Actually before jumping the gun on Hill we do need to consider his play has improved. Even with the unlucky fluke bounce in the Kraken game he was 30/33 (.907) and 22/24 (.917) vs VAN the game before. It is reasonable though to speculate he would not have been able to do what Hart did tonight. The question is will Torts stick with Hart to try to win the division or give Hill a start, He did mention in the postgame that Hill made some saves too.
Hdbiker7851
Engineer a trade for Hill – they couldn’t give that stiff away. Two walruses Hill and lehner Mccrimmon nightmare he won’t take credit for – he’s better at finding a scapegoat to cover his fat butt.
Jose
They win a game and you find something negative to say. But you’re not negative you are a realist, right?
Henderson One
Who will want him?
Duckboy
Trade for future considerations coming up
Tim
I’ve said it for the last 2 years games were so boring. Now under Tort fresh eyes and let’s them all wing it it’s a much more enjoyable game to watch. Tort’s not the Messiah but for the short term I like our odds. For me hockey is fun again. Big day for me we beat Colorado and my Guardians shut out a very good Atlanta Braves team.
SHS
Does anyone else think that Reilly Smith must be dinged up? I can’t imagine Saad playing over Reilly if he’s full-go. I think Torts alluded to an injury in a previous interview but checked himself before saying it explicitly. I’d certainly like to know Smith’s status. He’s a better option and we will need him in the playoffs.
Pistol Pete
Torts mentioned some sickness in the locker room like players or a player was/had been ill. Maybe that is R. Smith but I agree a better option than Saad. Saad remains fast and heavy but has lost some/most of his finishing touch though I believe he hit a post tonight.
SHS
Yes, Saad can no longer finish. He should start aiming for posts, that way he might have a couple actually go in!!!
Pistol Pete
If we win the last two games in regulation we win the division with 95 pts and 30 RW. Ducks can also reach 95 but would lose the RW tiebreaker. Therefore home ice through round two is at stake these last two games. I would expect Torts to play Hart.
95 is one more point than the 94 we missed the playoffs with 2021-22, That year it was CGY (111) EDM (104) LAK (99) VGK (94). DeBoer missed the playoffs by playing Lehner down the final stretch despite his injury. A very poor decision.
JoeInHendo
Ugh, DeBoer and Lehner. What a nightmare duo from a nightmare season resulting in the only time VGK missed the playoffs. Those two snakes deserve that distinction.
Duckboy
Utah not a good matchup for the knights
Ducks would be ideal
JB
Abut fell to it of my chair with that OT winner. It was so nice to yell in joy and high five my wife! That was an exciting game start to finish. Hart was fantastic! Now, let’s win the division!
FG
I did comment a few games ago Tortorella may have been brought in because of his previous experience with Hart, That has appeared to he quite prescient. The change on VGK has been evident and positive. The organization in the past has been quite focused on winning the division, so I would expect an all out effort in the next two games. Another banner for the rafters. But be careful what you wish for, a playoff series against the young, fast Mammoth is probably the least favorable matchup, and a first round exit would out a damper on the enthusiasm.
JB
Yes, Utah is fast and YOUNG! Key word young. As we know the playoffs are a different animal. I think the inexperienced youth of them will be their problem. I think we would handle them!
Hdbiker7851
The beauty of youth is they don’t realize they are not suppose to win. That was exactly what the original knights had – not necessarily youth but a burning desire to prove something – they weren’t the misfits for nothing. They could be very dangerous.
Pistol Pete
What VGK fan does not love the Year One team for their remarkable accomplishments? First expansion team to go 3-0, fastest to win 30 games, won 51 games along with the division and conference. Foley, Murray Craven, McPhee and McCrimmon did a stellar job building the organization from the ground up.
But my favorite version though (until they win another) is the one that won the Cup. Myself, wife and one of our two sons attended the parade. Unforgettable.
I really like this current version with key players added in order: Hertl, Hanifin, Marner, Hart, and Andersson. Hertl’s production has been off but I still want him on the team. Skepticism including the healthy versions may abound but imo this is a well-managed well-coached talented team, a contender!
Rrale
I also hope for Hart getting the nod for starting in the playoffs. Problem is we have two more regular season games left. If the puck rolls in VGK favor only one that matters in the standings. We will know after Monday’s games. Is it start Hart Monday to try and get the division locked up with one game to go? Then does Coaching staff rest Hart for playoffs? If Hart is rested for playoffs who gets Wednesday’s start. I would like to see Schmid get the start. How about the other starters getting rest. Remember some of looked pretty tired since the Olympics. Eichel said it after last night’s game, goal is getting into the playoffs.
I agree that VGK have some very interesting young players for next year and beyond.
KnightWatch
Knights will do anything to win. Not only do they take out a defenseman but the coach.
All kidding aside.
AVS coach update
The puck to Bednar was as bad as it looked. Sustained facial fractures and a corneal abrasion. Not traveling on their road trip.
No surgery at this time and expected to make a full recovery.
Ice Warrior
Dang. Glad to hear he will recover. A friend of mine had a fracture of the orbital bone but it did heal well with no surgery. Hell of a shiner, though!
JB
Yea, I hope Bednar recovers nicely. He’s a good coach.
knights fan in minny
I can’t believe it doesn’t happen more often Maybe it’s time to put a mask on The coaches That would look pretty funny though
TS
Good lord! What a freakish hit— has that EVER happened to a coach before? Holy cow!
Ice Warrior
Carter Hart’s confidence and his level of play is growing with each game. His agility reminds me of Fleury. I hope he is between the pipes for a long playoff run!
knights fan in minny
Dowd playing solid defensive hockey showing flashes of some offense and isn’t afraid to throw his weight around Not afraid to mix it up either