Marchessault, Golden Knights defeat Avalanche in Game 4, even series

LAS VEGAS -- Jonathan Marchessault scored a hat trick, and the Vegas Golden Knights evened the Stanley Cup Second Round with a 5-1 win against the Colorado Avalanche in Game 4 at T-Mobile Arena on Sunday.

It was Marchessault's first hat trick in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He also scored in a 3-2 win in Game 3 here Friday.
"That's a big part of the last two games right now is controlling their top players and don't let them come up with a lot of speed in the neutral zone," Marchessault said. "When we do that, we can keep playing the right way. We just have to keep doing what we've been doing."
William Karlsson had three assists for the Golden Knights, the No. 2 seed in the Honda West Division. Marc-Andre Fleury made 17 saves.
"It feels good, but we still have a lot of work to do," Vegas coach Peter DeBoer said. "It's only two wins and we have too much respect for Colorado and their game and what they're able to do. We know there's still a lot of hill to climb, but really proud at how we've responded."
Brandon Saad scored, and Philipp Grubauer made 30 saves for the Avalanche, the No. 1 seed. Colorado has lost consecutive games after winning its first six this postseason.
Game 5 of the best-of-7 series is at Colorado on Tuesday.
"We didn't think we were going to come in here and take both games," Saad said. "We didn't play as good as we should've, but we're going back to the building where we have success and we play well at."
Saad gave the Avalanche a 1-0 lead at 1:50 of the first period on a rebound of J.T. Compher's shot from above the right face-off circle.
Marchessault tied it 1-1 with the first of five straight goals for Vegas at 7:07 after Colorado defenseman Patrik Nemeth turned the puck over below the goal line. Reilly Smith's initial shot hit the crossbar, but Marchessault scored on a tap-in from the crease off a pass from Karlsson.
"Honestly, I was kind of [celebrating] too. Then I realized it wasn't a goal," Karlsson said. "I went to the puck and just tried to shovel it back into the net. Marchessault was there. It was a bizarre situation."
Max Pacioretty gave the Golden Knights a 2-1 lead at 1:11 of the second period on a wrist shot from the left circle.

Marchessault made it 3-1 on the power play at 11:28 on a one-timer from the left circle and completed the hat trick at 6:01 of the third period to make it 4-1.
"I didn't have a problem with our intent and focus to our game and the way we competed," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. "I thought for the most part it was pretty good. We gave up some chances off the rush where they were beating us up the ice.
"This is going to be a battle. I fully expect our guys to take another step in this series, in the home game, and our big line (Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen) will have to be a big part of that."
Patrick Brown
scored at 13:13 when his shot was saved by Grubauer but the goalie's momentum carried him and the puck over the goal line for the 5-1 final.

Vegas has outshot Colorado 110-52 since the first period of Game 2.
"If we win as a group, it's the most important thing, and we've proven we can play with the best team in the League," Marchessault said. "We're on a mission right now. We just have to keep going and focus on Game 5."
NOTES: The attendance was 18,081, the largest crowd in the NHL this season. … Rantanen had his 17-game postseason point streak end (10 goals, 17 assists). The streak began in Game 3 of the 2020 Western Conference First Round against the Arizona Coyotes. … Marchessault became the first player in Golden Knights history to score 20 playoff goals. … Pacioretty has a five-game point streak (three goals, two assists) since returning from an undisclosed injury for Game 7 of the Stanley Cup First Round against the Minnesota Wild.