NHL: Golden Knights Vanquish Avalanche

T-Mobile Arena was electric when the puck dropped at center ice in Las Vegas Thursday night for Game 6 of the NHL playoffs. It didn’t take long for the Golden Knights and Avalanche to kick it up a notch. Within the first 75-seconds of play, the rivals had traded goals to open the night in an explosion that guaranteed intense playoff hockey.

Devon Toews stunned the Knights with a wrist shot that flew past netminder Marc-Andre Fleury when he was caught just outside the crease. Under a minute later, Nick Holden answered when he powered one past Philipp Grubauer to tie the game. This was simply a preview of what was on tap to conclude this season’s tug-of-war between division foes. The Knights’ William Karlsson squeezed the puck between Grubauer’s outstretched leg and the left post to give Vegas a 2-1 advantage heading into the locker room.

Mikko Rantanen of the Avalanche kicked off a busy second period with an early power play goal to tie the game. Keegan Kolesar deflected a shot by Alex Pietrangelo to put the Knights ahead, positioning the puck in almost the same spot that Karlsson did earlier. Once again, Colorado answered the call, tying the game with a goal by Andre Burakovsky less than two minutes later.

The remaining scoring all went the other way, with goals by Pietrangelo and William Carrier. An empty-netter by Max Pacioretty sealed the deal for the Knights a mere 12 seconds after Colorado pulled Grubauer, bringing the final score to 6-3. This desperation move by the Avalanche was necessary, but proved futile, as the team watched the clock tick to zero, dooming them to exit yet again after the second round of the NHL playoffs.

It’s A Wrap

These two teams are well-matched. They jockeyed with each other the entire season, with it coming to the last game–and they happened to be facing each other–for division seeds to be decided. Colorado came out on top then. Last night, the Golden Knights did.

Vegas next faces Montreal, the underdog survivor from Canada, in the NHL Semifinals. The Knights have home-ice advantage…..and with the Vegas crowd, that really matters.

NHL Playoffs Semifinal Schedule

Semifinals	Teams	Site	Date/Time	Network
Game 1	Canadiens at Golden Knights	T-Mobile Arena	Mon. 6/14 8 PM	NBCSN
Game 2	Canadiens at Golden Knights	T-Mobile Arena	Wed. 6/16 8 PM	NBCSN
Game 3	Golden Knights at Canadiens	Centre Bell	Fri. 6/18 7 PM	USA
Game 4	Golden Knights at Canadiens	Centre Bell	Sun. 6/20 7 PM	NBCSN
Game 5*	Canadiens at Golden Knights	T-Mobile Arena	Tues. 6/22 8 PM	NBCSN
Game 6*	Golden Knights at Canadiens	Centre Bell	Thurs. 6/24 7 PM	USA
Game 7*	Canadiens at Golden Knights	T-Mobile Arena	Sat. 6/26 7 PM	NBCSN

Check out our Shop!

Follow us on Instagram!

Subscribe to our Youtube!