LAS VEGAS — The Colorado Avalanche decided to live dangerously in Sin City, but lived to tell the tale.
Martin Necas had a goal and an assist, Scott Wedgewood made 22 saves, and the penalty kill had a huge day as the Avs defeated the Vegas Golden Knights, 4-2, on Friday afternoon at T-Mobile Arena.
One day after signing an eight-year, $92 million contract, Necas scored on the first shift of the game. Devon Toews passed on an open shot from the left point, opting to send the puck across to his partner Cake Makar instead. Makar found Necas near the left faceoff circle for a one-timer just 41 seconds into this contest.
It was Necas’ eighth goal of the season. After he set up another goal, Necas now has 19 goals and 42 points in 42 regular-season games with the Avalanche since arriving from the Carolina Hurricanes in a late January blockbuster trade for Mikko Rantanen.
Makar has 17 points, which is six more than the next defenseman in the NHL. He’s also one assist shy of the league lead, regardless of position.
Brock Nelson made it a 2-0 lead early in the second period and just seconds after another strong penalty kill. The Vegas power play began with a Parker Kelly breakaway off the faceoff. It ended with Nelson slipping behind the Knights’ defense. Jack Drury found him, and Nelson beat Vegas goalie Carl Lindbom, who was making his second career NHL start, at 4:32 of the second.
The Avalanche penalty kill was the No. 1 star of this contest through two periods. Colorado took four penalties in the first 40 minutes, including thee in the second period and three infractions by go-to-penalty killers.
It didn’t matter. The Avs allowed four shots on goal total across the four penalties — three of which came on the fourth opportunity. There was one passing sequence that could have led to a Vegas goal with Wedgewood down and out of position, but the Golden Knights didn’t get a shot off.
Vegas came into this game with 10 power-play goals and a 27.0% conversion rate. Pavel Dorofeyev has a league-leading five extra-man goals. He did not have a shot attempt in 6:07 of power-play ice time in this game.
Colorado’s penalty troubles continued early in the third period, and eventually Vegas was able to find one. Brent Burns and Devon Toews both went to the box, then Dorofeyev joined them to make it a 4-on-3 for the home side.
Tomas Hertl collected the puck with his back to Wedgewood near the right post, and was able to twist around and tuck it into the net near the left post at 2:51 of the third.
Burns took two penalties in this game, but he made up for it with a huge goal midway through the third period. Necas intercepted the puck in the slot in front of Wedgewood and then became a one-man breakout. He skated the puck into the offensive zone, including a full 360-degree spin at one point, then found Burns as the trailer on the rush.
It was Burns’ first goal in an Avalanche uniform. It was also career point No. 916, which gives him one more than legendary defenseman Bobby Orr. He’s officially 11th all-time among defenseman in career points, though Burns did collect some of those as a forward earlier in his career.
Mitch Marner pulled Vegas back within a goal again with 7:59 remaining. Marner threw the puck at the net from the right corner. Hertl was there in front, but the puck deflected into the net and Marner was credited with the tally.
FOOTNOTES: Gavin Brindley left this game after one shift in the second period and did not return. He was cutting to the middle of the ice to shoot when Ivan Barbashev caught him in the side of the head with his biceps. … Mackenzie Blackwood dressed for this game as the backup to Wedgewood. He is expected to make his first start of the season Saturday afternoon against his former club, the San Jose Sharks, at SAP Center.