Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud (2) celebrates after left wing Max Pacioretty (67) scored against the Colorado Avalanche during the second period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Published Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021 | 1:57 p.m.
Updated Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021 | 6:34 p.m.
Round 1 went to the Golden Knights.
Vegas is set to meet the Colorado Avalanche four times in a row starting with Sunday's game, and the Golden Knights got the best of the visitors in the first game of the series, winning a hard-fought 1-0 battle at T-Mobile Arena.
Marc-Andre Fleury, playing on back-to-back nights and his third game in four days, was tremendous in picking up his second shutout of the year. He made 30 saves.
Max Pacioretty had the only goal of the contest, connecting on a laser beam of a shot early into the second period. Zach Whitecloud assisted, and it held up as the game-winner, Pacioretty's team-best seventh of the season.
That followed a boxing match of a first period, with each side looking for the right opportunity for a knockout. It never came, carrying over to the second period and even with Pacioretty's goal, into the third as well.
The Golden Knights were on their heels in the early parts of the third period. The Avalanche averaged a shot a minute for the six minutes of the frame, with just one shot aimed at the Colorado net. Vegas bent, but didn't break, pushing back well into the next TV timeout and through the rest of the frame.
It was as entertaining of a 1-0 game as you'll find. Fleury was terrific, as was Colorado's Philipp Grubauer, who allowed only Pacioretty's goal.
Colorado finished with a 30-24 edge in shots on goal. It was just the third time this season the Golden Knights were outshot in a game, though they improved to 2-1 in those instances.
The Golden Knights play the Avalanche again at T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday, then at Lake Tahoe on Saturday before a trip to Colorado on Feb. 22.
Pacioretty's goal puts Golden Knights on top of Avalanche through 2
Max Pacioretty has such a deadly shot, that sometimes even ones from distance that goalie see still find their way into the net.
Pacioretty scored the first goal of the game and through two periods it remained the only goal, as the Golden Knights led 1-0 over the Colorado Avalanche at T-Mobile Arena on Sunday.
The Golden Knights drew first blood in the second period courtesy of a snipe from Pacioretty. Zach Whitecloud did a good job of collecting the pass and feeding Pacioretty, who walked in to the top of the right circle. looked around to pass and took it himself. He went short-side low on Philipp Grubauer, and it became his team-bests seventh of the season at 1:38 of the middle period.
Vegas took its first penalty of the game near the midpoint of the second, but a combination of strong killing and a Colorado interference call let it go by without danger. Alex Tuch drew into the penalty-killing rotation and passed his initial test using his usual speed.
The Golden Knights had 90 seconds of a power play right after their penalty, but dropped to 0-for-3 on the night, a day after connecting three times with the man advantage.
The Avalanche pulled ahead in shots on goal 20-18 after two periods, but Pacioretty's goal was the difference in a dead heat of a game.
Scoreless after 1 between Golden Knights, Avalanche
The Golden Knights and Avalanche are two of the best teams in the league. The first period of Sunday's game had a boxing-match feel, with either side feeling each other out and waiting for their moment to strike.
The period ended in a 0-0 tie, but the Golden Knights and Avalanche certainly lived up to the billing as potential playoff series at T-Mobile Arena.
The Golden Knights had two early power plays, but they went by without much fanfare. Vegas hit a post on the second one, but with four minutes of power-play time in the first seven minutes of the game, the Golden Knights missed an opportunity to jump on top of the Avalanche.
The Avalanche did a good job of making up for lost time. Despite four minutes short-handed, they showed a level of team speed that Vegas hasn't seen in an opponent yet this year.
Shots were tied in the first period 9-9.
Pregame
The Golden Knights, off to the best start in the franchise's four-year history, will face their biggest test of the season starting tonight.
At 9-2-1, Vegas is in second place in the West Division in total points. Right on the Golden Knights' heels are today's opponent, the Colorado Avalanche, who Vegas will play four times in a row in what could be a potential playoff preview.
Puck drop is scheduled for 4 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena.
The Avalanche are playing their first game since Feb. 2 after COVID-19 forced them into a layoff of nearly two weeks. Colorado's Gabriel Landeskog, Samuel Girard and Tyson Jost, all regulars, remain on the league's COVID list and are unexpected to play.
But Colorado is welcoming the return of superstar Nathan MacKinnon. He has not played since Jan. 31 because of a lower-body injury, but because of the postponed games ended up missing just one Colorado contest. MacKinnon has eight points in eight career games against Vegas and has 14 points in 11 games this season.
ManKinnon's winger, Mikko Rantanen, has seven goals this year and goalie Philipp Grubauer has a .934 save percentage.
Vegas will catch a bit of a break, last year's Calder Trophy winner as rookie of the year, defenseman Cale Makar, was scratched Sunday with an upper-body injury. He has 11 assists and 12 points this season and
The Golden Knights are also expected to play short-handed. Defenseman Shea Theodore has missed the last two games are leaving Tuesday's contest with an injury, and goalie Robin Lehner has an upper-body injury.
If Lehner remains out, that would either force the Golden Knights to play Marc-Andre Fleury, who is off to a tremendous start to the season, into his third game in four days, or turn to Oscar Dansk, who has dressed as Fleury's backup the last two games but has only five career appearances.
The Golden Knights have struggled all-time against the Avalanche, with a 3-4-1 record, including just 2-4-0 since Vegas' inaugural season.
TV: NBC Sports Network (DirecTV 220, Cox 38, CenturyLink 640)
Radio: Fox Sports 1340 AM and 98.9 FM
Betting line: Golden Knights minus-105, Avalanche minus-115; over/under: 6 (minus-105, under-115)
Golden Knights (9-2-1, 19 points; 2nd place, West Division)
Coach: Peter DeBoer (second season)
Points leader: Mark Stone (16)
Goals leader: Max Pacioretty (6)
Assists leader: Mark Stone (12)
Expected goalie: Marc-Andre Fleury (1.58 GAA, .934 save percentage)
Avalanche (7-3-1, 15 points; t-3rd 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 (1.67 GAA, .934 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
Nicolas Hague—Zach Whitecloud
Nick Holden—Dylan Coghlan
Goalies
Marc-Andre Fleury, Oscar Dansk
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