LAS VEGAS — At the outset through the beginning of the second period Monday, the Avalanche was playing like the hungrier of the two teams pushing for a playoff position. Two penalties, however, put the Avs on their heels and gave the Vegas Golden Knights all the momentum at T-Mobile Arena.
The Knights began 2-of-3 on the power play and dominated the third period in a 4-1 victory that clinched a playoff spot for the first-year expansion team. The loss was costly for Colorado, which remains in playoff position but is just one point ahead of the white-hot St. Louis Blues — who won five in a row and have played one fewer game than the Avs.
“For the first two periods we were playing hard and kind of dictating the play,” said Avs left wing , who played in his 500th career NHL game. “It comes down to special teams and power play wasn’t good enough tonight, and neither was the penalty kill.”
The Avs, who have six remaining games, host the Blues in the April 7 regular-season finale at the .
If Colorado (90 points) finishes with the No. 7 playoff seed, it would likely open against the Knights (103), who are on track to obtain the No. 2 seed. But late Monday, the defeated Calgary to drop Colorado to the eighth and final spot.
“I’m not going to talk about a first-round matchup,” Avs coach said after Monday’s frustrating game. “We got to get there first.”
Colorado trailed 2-1 after two periods and was out-shot 10-1 to begin the third — including Shea Theodore’s wrist shot from between the circles that extended Vegas’ lead to 3-1. The Avs out-shot Vegas 13-6 in the first period and had a 25-15 advantage after the second. Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (28 saves) was excellent throughout.
“I loved our first period. Loved a lot of things we did in the second. But we got in penalty trouble, took three penalties and they scored two goals on us,” Bednar said. “Down one (goal) to start the third we got away from our game. Trying to do too much early and pucks come back on you. Turned a lot of pucks over, feeling like we’re trying to win the first three or four shifts.”
Vegas scored its power-play goals 4:14 and 14:16 into the second period, with Alex Tuch and Jonathan Marchessault putting the pucks past goalie .
Avs defenseman tied it 1-1 with 13:14 remaining in the second, and on the ensuing center-ice faceoff, Colorado rookie forward bloodied Pierrre-Edouard Bellemare with a high stick to send the Knights on a four-minute power play. They quickly scored with Marchessault’s wrist shot from the right circle to take a 2-1 lead.
Jost also was in the penalty box when Tuch scored the game’s first goal, but the penalty was a bench minor for too-many-men.
After two periods, Vegas was 2-of-4 on the power play, and the Avs were 0-of-2.
The Avs begin a two-game homestand against Philadelphia and Chicago on Wednesday and Friday. Colorado departs for a three-game Californian trip Saturday, playing at Anaheim on Sunday, at Los Angeles on Monday and at San Jose on April 5.
