Dan Kingerski
The Colorado Avalanche scored late in the first period and held that lead into the third period, but the Western Conference Final is headed toward an enormous upset as the Vegas Golden Knights scored three third period goals to win Game 2, 3-1 at Ball Arena.
The Golden Knights shocked Colorado to win both games on the road and claim a 2-0 series lead. Despite Colorado’s regular season dominance and loaded roster, the Golden Knights have kept pace and gotten superior goaltending from Carter Hart.
And the Golden Knights are just two wins away from their third Stanley Cup Final.
Ross Colton (2) capped Colorado’s offensive push late in the first period when defenseman Brent Burns shot hit him near the net, but Colton pounced on the loose puck in the low slot and beat Hart with a turning wrister at 16:59 of the first period.
That was the first, and only goal Colorado scored. The Presidents’ Trophy winner is clearly hampered without star defenseman Cale Makar, who missed his second consecutive game with an upper-body injury. He’s listed as day-to-day, but it’s starting to seem Makar is more seriously injured.
Colorado was 45-0-0 this season when leading after two periods, but could not hold the lead Friday.
After a scoreless second period, Vegas scored a pair of quick goals early in the third period. While Vegas controlled the first period, but Colorado earned the goal, the inverse was true in the third. As Colorado took control of the game in the pivotal period, the Golden Knights showed quick strike ability.
After a missed Colorado shot, Golden Knights’ top center Jack Eichel led a three-on-two transition. Rather than dish the puck, Eichel pulled back into the right circle and snapped a wrist shot past Colorado goalie Scott Wedgewood at 9:15 of the third period.
Eichel led the Golden Knights Friday, The center, who led the Golden Knights to the 2023 Stanley Cup, was electric.
Just over two minutes later, a Colorado miscue in their own zone quickly became another VGK goal. After Devon Toews lost the handle on a breakout pass, Pavel Dorofeyev tapped the loose puck to Eichel, who quickly moved it to Ivan Barbashev in the high slot. Barbashev (4) beat Wedgewood with a long wrister that went bar down at 11:22.
That was the game winner. Barbashev then added the empty netter at 18:57. Game, set, and match. The Golden Knights won the weak Pacific Division with only 95 points, and would not have made the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. In fact, they finished 26 points behind Colorado.
Hart again made numerous glove saves. The embattled goalie is rising to the challenge in the playoffs, and for the eighth time in nine playoff games, he posted a save percentage well over .900. Hart stopped 29 of 30 shots for another win. Blackwood stopped 22 of 25.
The series goes to Vegas for Game 3 on Sunday. The game will be on ESPN at 8 p.m. as the Golden Knights attempt to claim a nearly insurmountable 3-0 series lead. However, for anyone who wonders if the VGK will look ahead, coach John Tortorella was one step ahead.
“We won’t, I guarantee you we won’t. They understand the situation,” Tortorella said.
