The Golden Knights found one more road win and, with it, a playoff berth and first place back in their hands.
Vegas beat the Avalanche 3-2 in overtime Saturday at Ball Arena, closing the trip at 4-0-1 under John Tortorella and finishing a demanding swing with 11 of 12 possible points. Jack Eichel scored the winner in overtime, Carter Hart made 30 saves, and the Golden Knights punched their postseason ticket before heading home for the final two games of the regular season.
“We found a way,” Tortorella said. “It’s a find-a-way league.”
Road trip payoff
This was not an easy finish.
Colorado came in with the best points total in the NHL and had already taken the first two meetings from Vegas this season. The Avalanche had their push, then the Golden Knights had theirs, and the game kept swinging.
Tortorella liked the way his group handled it.
“I really respect how they handled themselves in this road trip,” he said. “We got some sickness in that room, some tired guys. They stuck with it tonight, found a way.”
That fit the night. Vegas did not control every stretch, but it stayed in the fight long enough to leave with the extra point that mattered most.
Stone answers, Dorofeyev adds on
Colorado struck first in the opening period when Devon Toews scored at 10:43.
Vegas answered quickly on the power play. Mark Stone tied it 1-1 at 6:13 of the first, finishing from in tight off a setup from Tomas Hertl and Mitch Marner. It was another timely goal from the captain, who has kept delivering in big spots down the stretch.
The Golden Knights nearly had more. Ivan Barbashev hit the crossbar earlier in the period, and Vegas kept finding chances against Mackenzie Blackwood even while Colorado pushed its own pace.
Then came the second-period breakthrough.
Pavel Dorofeyev put Vegas ahead 2-1 at 17:51 of the second, snapping home his 36th goal of the season off setup work from Barbashev and Kaedan Korczak. It was another finish from a winger who has kept adding to his breakout year.
However, Colorado answered again. Nick Blankenburg tied it 2-2 at 9:04 of the second, and the game settled into the kind of tight, high-speed battle Vegas has seen a lot lately.
Hart holds the line
The third period belonged to the goaltenders and the team willing to survive its mistakes.
Hart was the biggest reason Vegas stayed level. He turned away 30 of 32 shots and made several key saves as Colorado pushed for the winner. Nathan MacKinnon got his looks. Gabriel Landeskog had his. So did Jack Drury. Hart kept the game there.
Eichel made it clear who Vegas leaned on most.
“Heartsy played awesome,” he said. “We’re probably not there in overtime if it wasn’t for some of the tremendous saves by our goaltender. I think he was our best player tonight.”
Hart sounded like a goalie who knows exactly where his game is right now.
“I feel solid,” he said. “One day at a time. Can’t get ahead of ourselves here.”
That was the right tone for a team trying to sharpen itself while still chasing the division.
Eichel finishes the job
Then came the play that changed the standings.
Colorado had a look in overtime, but Hart turned it aside. The puck went the other way, and Eichel ended it at 1:19 of overtime with a clean finish for his 26th goal of the season.
“I could already tell Jack was loading that one up,” Hart said. “Made an awesome shot there and huge extra point there for us.”
Eichel kept it simple.
“Big win for our group,” he said.
Tortorella gave the fuller version.
“Those are the players that need to make those plays at key times,” he said. “Jack does.”
Now first, now in
That is the payoff.
The Golden Knights are back in first place in the Pacific and officially in the playoffs after a road trip that changed the shape of their finish. A week ago, they were trying to steady themselves. Now they are heading home with two games left, a postseason spot secured and the division back in sight.
Eichel said that part matters too.
“Clinching was our goal,” he said. “Now it’s about building our game and feeling good about ourselves as we head into the postseason.”
That is where Vegas sits now. In, first, and still pushing.
Up next
The Golden Knights return home with control of the Pacific Division.
Vegas sits first with 91 points, one ahead of Edmonton and two clear of Anaheim, while four points separate first from fourth with two games remaining.
The final stretch is simple.
The Golden Knights host the Jets on Monday at T-Mobile Arena. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. Pacific.
Then, they close the regular season Wednesday night against the Kraken at home. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. Pacific.
Two games. First place in hand. Still work to do.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
