David Zalubowsk / Associated Press
Colorado Avalanche left wing J.T. Compher, left, loses control of the puck while being pursued by Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson in the first period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Denver.
Published Monday, Jan. 2, 2023 | 8:43 p.m.
Updated Monday, Jan. 2, 2023 | 10:20 p.m.
Nicolas Roy scored twice to end a 17-game goalless drought, and the Golden Knights started 2023 with a 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena on Monday.
The center, who had 12 points through his first 19 games, struggled heavily over the next month with just one point in his next 17 games. Roy had gone the previous 13 games without a point.
But after a run to close the 2022 calendar year in which the Vegas fourth line combined for just three goals in 17 games, the trio has now scored three times in the last two games. Keegan Kolesar ended a 19-game drought Saturday in the 5-4 overtime win over Nashville.
"Our first line has done a great job scoring a lot of goals," Roy said. "It's nice to help them and I think we've been able to do that the last two, three games."
Michael Amadio scored a goal for the fifth time in six games to extend his career-high point streak to seven games, and Logan Thompson made 26 saves to give the Golden Knights (26-12-2) their second-most wins through 40 games in team history.
Vegas was 29-10-2 through the halfway mark in its inaugural year in 2017-18.
Amadio found the back of the net for the sixth time this season, four shy of his career-high he set last season and is seven points from tying last year's mark of 18, also a career-high.
The 26-year-old Amadio has been an unlikely source of providing that needed scoring with Jack Eichel out of the lineup. The fourth line getting back to its ways has been an added bonus.
William Carrier, Kolesar and Roy combined for 29 points through the first 19 games, an unlikely number for a line best known for its checking and physical play. The trio cooled off in December with Carrier providing 75% of the goals during the month.
Roy got in on the fun with his second multigoal game (March 4, 2022 against Anaheim), coming in his 200th NHL game.
"You need secondary scoring to win in this league. It's tough," coach Bruce Cassidy said. "Happy to see Nic get rewarded. Those three guys work hard."
Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon opened the scoring 25 seconds in for a 1-0 Colorado lead, but Amadio answered with a deflection at 17:02 of the first by tipping a shot from Nic Hague.
Roy scored both of his goals in the second period, the first at 7:14 and then 14:46, to push the lead to 3-1. Top prospect defenseman Kaedan Korczak recorded his first NHL point with a secondary assist on Roy's go-ahead goal.
Korczak was recalled from AHL Henderson on Sunday in place of the injured Daniil Miromanov. The Silver Knights' leading scorer from the blue line left Saturday after blocking a shot with his foot. Miromanov did not travel with the team.
Korczak, playing alongside Brayden McNabb, had three shots on goal and that assist in 15:30.
"A lot of excitement," Korczak said. "Confidence wore on me as the game went on. 'Nabber' is super easy to play with."
Mikko Rantanen cut the Colorado deficit back to one, at 3-2, midway through the third period. But the Golden Knights' penalty-killing unit and Thompson killed two Colorado power plays in the third to preserve a victory over the banged-up defending Stanley Cup champions.
The Golden Knights will start a five-game homestand Thursday against Pittsburgh in which they hope to get some injured players of their own back in the lineup. Jack Eichel, Jonathan Marchessault and Paul Cotter have begun skating in non-contact roles.
Any healthy bodies will be a welcomed addition to a lineup that's trying to avoid the same situation that happened this time last year, where the Golden Knights were in first place in the Pacific Division but eventually fell out of the playoff race.
"[Colorado] got off to a good start, and we didn't let that get to us," Cassidy said. "I think we checked them well after [that first goal], but I thought that second period was the difference."
Danny Webster can be reached at 702-259-8814 or [email protected]. Follow Danny on Twitter at twitter.com/DannyWebster21.
