The Golden Knights scored five unanswered goals to take a commanding 3-0 series lead over the Avalanche.
LAS VEGAS — The house always wins, especially when you’re in Vegas. But desperate times call for desperate measures, leading the Colorado Avalanche to play the first period of Game 3 of the Western Conference Final as if they had house money.
The Avs came into Sunday’s matchup licking their wounds after surrendering the first two games to the Golden Knights on home ice. Three first period goals catapulted the Avalanche into the driver’s seat.
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Jack Drury, shorthanded, on a breakaway scored the Avs’ third goal of the opening period. Captain Gabriel Landeskog knocked in the team’s opening goal, and Martin Necas fed a beautiful center pass to Nazem Kadri for the second goal of the period.
The Golden Knights would answer right back with three goals of their own the following period. Vegas scored 19 seconds into the second period to get on the board. Mark Stone scored his fourth goal of the playoffs off a power play opportunity.
William Karlson scored the second goal off an assist from Mitch Marner, cutting the Avs’ lead from three to one goal. Then Keegan Kolesar would erase the Avs’ lead completely off a Knight tip-in.
Goaltender Scott Wedgewood also made his mark in the opening period, denying the Golden Knights on a number of occasions including a save on a breakaway chance by Colton Sissons. A goal was called back after it was ruled the puck was batted in from above the crossbar.
Tomas Hertl scored the Golden Knights’ fourth unanswered goal of the night in the third period to seal the deal. The Knights added an empty netter from Brett Howden for a 5-3 final score.
The Avs had their star defender back in Cale Makar. But late in the second period, Nathan MacKinnon left with an injury and did not start the third period for the Avs.
A win-or-go-home Game 4 will be played at T-Mobile Arena Tuesday. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. MDT.
