Rapid Recap: Golden Knights 4, Avalanche 3 (OT)

Alex Tuch scored with 16 seconds remaining in overtime to lift the Vegas Golden Knights to a 4-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in the final round-robin game of the Stanley Cup Qualifiers on Saturday afternoon at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta.
A matchup between the top two teams in pool play, Vegas' victory gives it the top spot in the Western Conference for the remainder of the playoffs while Colorado will have the No. 2 seed. The Avalanche begins its best-of-seven conference quarterfinals next week against the No. 11-seeded Arizona Coyotes.

Down 3-2 in the closing minutes of regulation, the Avalanche forced overtime as J.T. Compher scored on a rebound in close with 62 seconds remaining. Compher also assisted on Joonas Donskoi's tally that knotted the game at 2-2 late in the second period.
Nathan MacKinnon scored a power-play goal for the Avalanche at 6:46 of the middle frame, tying the contest at 1-all nearly five minutes after Jonathan Marchessault was the benefactor of having the puck carom off him and into the net during a Vegas man advantage.
Marchessault scored his second of the game on a penalty shot early in the third period, and Nicolas Roy also found the back of the net for the Knights.
Nazem Kadri and Mikko Rantanen each recorded two assists in the outing for Colorado, and goaltender Philipp Grubauer made 22 saves.
It was the first-ever postseason meeting between the Avalanche and Golden Knights. In round-robin action during the Stanley Cup Qualifiers, regular season, 3-on-3 overtime rules were in effect.
Highlights
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Photo Gallery
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Statistics
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Postgame Notes
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Video: Coach Bednar
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Video: J.T. Compher & Nathan MacKinnon

THE GOALS

1st Period
No Scoring
2nd Period
1:34 VGK (0-1) - PPG, Shea Theodore's outside shot was redirected into the net after the puck hit off Jonathan Marchessault in front.
6:46 COL (1-1) - PPG, On a mad scramble around the crease, Nathan MacKinnon grabbed the loose puck and backhanded a shot into the net before the Vegas goalie could get over in time to stop it.
12:55 VGK (1-2) - Vegas' Nicolas Roy was able to knock in a bouncing puck in the crease.
14:51 COL (2-2) - After the puck was freed up behind the net, Joonas Donskoi cleaned up a rebound after J.T. Compher's chance in front was originally denied.
3rd Period
3:02 VGK (2-3) - PSG, Jonathan Marchessault scored his second goal of the game, tallying with a wrister that went glove-side during a penalty shot.
18:58 COL (3-3) - J.T. Compher tied the game after knocking in a loose puck in the blue paint while Colorado had its goaltender pulled for the extra attacker.
Overtime
4:44 VGK (3-4) - Alex Tuch ended the game with wrist shot from the left circle during a rush up the ice in the final seconds of extra time.
Final: Golden Knights - 4 | Avalanche - 3 (Overtime)

3 STARS

1. Jonathan Marchessault (VGK): Scored two goals
2. Mark Stone (VGK): Assisted on the game-winner
3. J.T. Compher (COL): Had two points

POWER PLAYS

Colorado: 1 for 6
Vegas: 1 for 4

GOALTENDING BATTLE

Colorado: Philipp Grubauer started his second game for the Avalanche in the Stanley Cup Qualifiers and made 22 saves.
Vegas: Robin Lehner made his second start of round-robin play as well and stopped 32-of-35 shots.

STAT OF THE GAME

J.T. Compher recorded his first points (goal and assist) of the postseason and second career multi-point game in the playoffs (two goals, one assist, May 6, 2019 vs. San Jose).

NOTEBOOK

The Avalanche outshot its opponent in all three games of the round robin… Colorado tallied power-play goal in each contest as well, going 4-for-16 (25 percent). It's the first time Colorado has scored a power-play goal in each of its first three playoff outings since the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs (Conference Quarterfinals vs. Dallas)… Nathan MacKinnon recorded his first goal and third point of the postseason. He now has 32 playoff points (12 goals and 20 assists) in 28 career games... Mikko Rantanen's now has four postseason assists, the most among all players on Western Conference round-robin clubs... Joonas Donskoi's goal was his second of the playoffs, the most on the team... Nazem Kadri finished with two points (two assists) to match his postseason career best (3x - last: April 17, 2017 vs. Washington). Kadri has recorded four points (one goal, three assists) through three playoff contests, matchng his career high set during the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs with Toronto (one goal, three assists in seven games played)... The Avs will face the Coyotes in a playoff series for the second time in franchise history. Colorado defeated the then-Phoenix Coyotes in five games (4-1) in the 2000 Western Conference Quarterfinals in the teams' only previous postseason meeting.

QUOTABLE

Head coach Jared Bednar postgame: "I'm not really that disappointed with our game. I know we could have been better, would have been nice to win, we didn't. Now we're moving on and we're getting ready for an opponent come Tuesday or Wednesday."

BIG HIGHLIGHT

IMAGE OF THE GAME

The battle to be the West's Best begins.

ROSTER REPORT

Goaltender Philipp Grubauer started for the second time during round-robin play, while forward Matt Nieto played for the second consecutive game. Tyson Jost was a healthy scratch.

INJURY UPDATE

The Avs are healthy.

UP NEXT

Colorado now heads to its first 2020 postseason series as the team plays the No. 11-seed Arizona Coyotes in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs beginning on either Tuesday or Wednesday. The full schedule will be announced at the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Qualifiers on Sunday.

LINE COMBINATIONS

Based on the start of the game
Forwards
90 Vladislav Namestnikov - 29 Nathan MacKinnon - 96 Mikko Rantanen
92 Gabriel Landeskog - 91 Nazem Kadri - 13 Valeri Nichushkin
95 Andre Burakovsky - 37 J.T. Compher - 72 Joonas Donskoi
83 Matt Nieto - 41 Pierre-Edouard Bellemare - 11 Matt Calvert
Defensemen
27 Ryan Graves - 8 Cale Makar
49 Samuel Girard - 6 Erik Johnson
16 Nikita Zadorov - 28 Ian Cole
Goaltenders
31 Philipp Grubauer (starter)
39 Pavel Francouz (backup)