Rapid Recap: Golden Knights 3, Avalanche 1

The Colorado Avalanche fell 3-1 to the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday at Ball Arena.
Chandler Stephenson and Reilly Smith scored in the first period for the Knights and Cale Makar cut Colorado's deficit to 2-1 late in the second period but Evgenii Dadonov sealed the win with an empty-net marker with 30 seconds remaining in regulation.
Darcy Kuemper made 26 saves for the Avs and Robin Lehner stopped 26-of-27 shots. Colorado went 3-for-3 on the penalty kill in the outing.

Statistics
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Photo Gallery
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Highlights
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Notes & Quotes

THE GOALS

1st Period
2:00 VGK (0-1) - Chandler Stephenson picked up a rebound from a Brayden McNabb shot and scored.
9:37 VGK (0-2) - SHG, Reilly Smith forced a turnover and had a breakaway chance go into the net.
2nd Period
19:23 COL (1-2) - Cale Makar's shot from the point bounced off a Vegas defender and hit twine during four-on-four play.
3rd Period
19:30 VGK (1-3) - ENG, Evgenii Dadonov scored into an empty net.
Final:Golden Knights - 3 | Avalanche - 1

3 STARS

Selected by Colorado Hockey Coach of the Game: Alex Wegienka - Arapahoe Warriors

POWER PLAYS

Colorado:0 for 2
Vegas: 0 for 3

GOALTENDING BATTLE

Colorado:Darcy Kuemper stopped 26 shots.
Vegas:Robin Lehner made 26-of-27 saves.

STAT OF THE NIGHT

Nathan MacKinnon had a helper on Cale Makar's goal and now has six points (one goal, five assists) in his four games this season. MacKinnon has found the scoresheet in each of his first four games this year, a feat he has accomplished twice before (five games in 2019-20, three games in 2013-14).

NOTEBOOK

Cale Makar scored his first of the year. He now has 98 points in his career, needing two more to hit the 100-point milestone… Rookie d-man Bowen Byram had an assist and now has five points (one goal, four assists) through six games… Mikko Rantanen saw his season-opening, five-game point streak and three-game goal streak end... It was the first of three meetings between the Avalanche and Golden Knights this season and Vegas' only trip to the Mile High City in 2021-22… The Avs are now (5-1-1) all-time against the Golden Knights at Ball Arena.

BIG HIGHLIGHT

ROSTER REPORT

The Avalanche recalled defenseman Jacob MacDonald on Tuesday morning and he was the team's scratch for the contest. Kurtis MacDermid returned to the lineup, skating in his third game of the year. Darcy Kuemper started in net for the fifth time this season.

INJURY UPDATE

Samuel Girard missed his first game of the year after suffering an upper-boody injury on Saturday. He is day-to-day. Defenseman Devon Toews (upper body) was cleared for controlled contact on Monday. Forward Valeri Nichushkin (upper body) and goaltender Pavel Francouz (lower body) have resumed skating and are making progress, but both remain week-to-week. Stefan Matteau remains out for "weeks" with a lower-body injury.

UP NEXT

The Avalanche hits the road for one game at the St. Louis Blues on Thursday before coming back to Ball Arena to host the Minnesota Wild in a Division Rivalry game on Saturday.

LINE COMBINATIONS

Based on the start of the game
Forwards
92 Gabriel Landeskog - 29 Nathan MacKinnon - 96 Mikko Rantanen
95 Andre Burakovsky - 91 Nazem Kadri - 37 J.T. Compher
75 Sampo Ranta - 17 Tyson Jost - 25 Logan O'Connor
43 Darren Helm - 12 Jayson Megna - 61 Martin Kaut
Defensemen
4 Bowen Byram - 8 Cale Makar
3 Jack Johnson - 6 Erik Johnson
56 Kurtis MacDermid - 28 Ryan Murray
Goaltenders
35 Darcy Kuemper
31 Jonas Johansson