Golden Knights stun Avalanche to take first game of Western Conference final

[p]The Avs, who won eight of their nine Stanley Cup playoff games this year, are heavy favourites to progress from the series. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/colorado-avalanche/hACAnvBa/"]Colorado[/a] also won the season series 3-2, though they lost the most recent game a month ago.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/colorado-avalanche-hACAnvBa/vegas-golden-knights-fTT0TsUg/?mid=zP4nYsk1"]It was an even first period[/a] at the Ball Arena in Denver. Both teams had 10 shots in the opening frame, and both were able to successfully kill a power play. Yet, the pair went into the first intermission all square.[/p][p]Things continued the same way in the second period, where the teams were once again unable to find the back of the net.[/p][p]The opener eventually came with seven and a half minutes left. Taking the puck the other way, the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/vegas-golden-knights/fTT0TsUg/"]Golden Knights[/a] went the other way, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/saad-brandon/ObxyEnBI/"]Brandon Saad[/a] fed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/coghlan-dylan/2uzxtelp/"]Dylan Coghlan[/a], who was able to get an uncontested shot. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wedgewood-scott/lAPibPUq/"]Scott Wedgewood[/a] had no chance as the puck beat him to his right-hand side and in.[/p][embed guid="e0b1726c-82e7-455e-8cf4-122cec0220d2" url="https://x.com/NHL/status/2057275807634956762?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Matters got worse for the Avalanche a few minutes later. After [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/colton-ross/EX6HhoRd/"]Ross Colton[/a] was sent to the penalty box for roughing, the guests made the most of the man advantage.[/p][p]Almost a minute into the power play, Vegas converted the chance. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hertl-tomas/WAU1Snrj/"]Tomas Hertl[/a] dropped it off to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/marner-mitchell/Agmv3YoI/"]Mitch Marner[/a], who skated cross-ice before finding [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dorofeyev-pavel/4YwjaJ5r/"]Pavel Dorofeyev[/a].[/p][p]In front of goal, Dorofeyev shot it first-time to find the back of the net and double the Golden Knights' lead.[/p][embed guid="687abf00-1dd3-4dd8-9e9a-e05d26eb916d" url="https://x.com/NHL/status/2057278147146436726?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Down 2-0 after two periods, the Avs found themselves in a hole. Unfortunately for them, the conceded a third 94 seconds into the final frame.[/p][p]On a two-on-one, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hutton-ben/6VqhK2uO/"]Ben Hutton[/a] opted to go for goal instead of making the pass to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/howden-brett/SjH2nDdA/"]Brett Howden[/a]. The effort was initially saved by Wedgewood, but the puck fell fortuitously for Howden, who brought it down and tapped it home from a couple of feet away.[/p][embed guid="e9a96968-8a40-49bb-a347-9996cea17173" url="https://x.com/NHL/status/2057285589469134991?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]For the second straight game in the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Avalanche were down 3-0. But, they did not give in.[/p][p]They finally managed to get on the board minutes later as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nichushkin-valeri/rJT88lo8/"]Valeri Nichushkin[/a] was able to finish off a centering pass from Ross Colton and give his team hope with 14:07 left in regulation.[/p][p]On a power play, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mackinnon-nathan/dhMyX3sE/"]Nathan MacKinnon[/a] made a great move to beat his man and get a shot on net. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/landeskog-gabriel/6ikuwFTl/"]Gabriel Landeskog[/a] was there to put the puck in and finally beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hart-carter/jeyiztUC/"]Carter Hart[/a].[/p][embed guid="b8161489-5f54-4aa5-8168-bf1b57e96388" url="https://x.com/NHL/status/2057293166861000843?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Still pushing for the equalizer, the Avs pulled their goaltender in favour of a sixth skater. That proved to be fruitless, as 45 seconds before the end, the Golden Knights capped off the game.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/toews-devon/reqrfRJD/"]Devon Toews[/a]' shot was blocked in front of Vegas' goal, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/eichel-jack/roOYYdOm/"]Jack Eichel[/a] taking a shot on the empty Colorado net. His shot just missed, going off the boards before boucing back. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dowd-nic/t4reWfKu/"]Nic Dowd[/a] was first to the puck to shoot it into the unguarded goal and give his side the victory.[/p][p]Game 2 will be on Friday, also in Denver, as the Avalanche look to level the series right away.[/p][embed guid="eb080791-09b9-4d74-94b9-6baa8ca92fe4" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy7mxmU2SXs" social-type="youtube" /]