LAS VEGAS (AP) — Valeri Nichushkin’s third-period goal held up as the winner for the Colorado Avalanche in a 3-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night.
Shortly after Nichushkin pushed Colorado’s lead to two goals, Vegas’ Chandler Stephenson cut the deficit to one. But Colorado goaltender Alexandar Georgiev was clutch down the stretch to help the Avalanche bounce back from a home loss to Seattle the night before.
Georgiev finished with 34 saves, and Nathan MacKinnon and Evan Rodrigues also scored for Colorado.
Jonathan Marchessault and Chandler Stephenson scored for the Golden Knights. Logan Thompson stopped 22 shots.
Playing for the third time in four nights — and fourth in six over three cities — the Avalanche didn’t appear tired whatsoever, skating with plenty of pep in all three periods.
The Avalanche struck first when Mackinnon took a feed from Cale Makar and one-timed from the top of the circle through traffic and past Thompson.
Marchessault tied it on a power play with less than a minute remaining in the first when he lasered a backhanded pass from Mark Stone past Georgiev.
Rodrigues put the Avalanche back on top when his one-time slap shot from the top of the left circle beat Thompson far side and clanked in off the post for a power-play goal early in the second period.
NOTES: Defenseman Erik Johnson played in his 660th game as a member for the Avalanche, passing Cody McLeod for eighth place on the franchise list.
UP NEXT
Colorado: At New York Rangers on Tuesday night.
Vegas: Hosts Toronto on Monday night.
__
More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
