Eleven days ago, the Vegas Golden Knights were fighting for their lives. They had fallen to third in the Pacific Division and were in serious danger of missing the postseason. Today, they officially clinched a playoff berth and moved into first in the Pacific with a 3-2 overtime win on Saturday over the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche.
What a difference a week and change makes.
Right from puck drop, the Avalanche got to their game quickly and showed why they’re the Presidents’ Trophy winners. They outshot the Golden Knights 15-7 in the first period and generated nine high-danger scoring chances.
The Avalanche broke the ice at 9:17 in the first. Devon Toews fired a wrister from the point, and it rode up on Carter Hart’s chest protector and into the net.
Despite being outplayed in the first period, the Golden Knights entered intermission tied at one after scoring the equalizer on their second power play of the game.
The Golden Knights tied it up at 13:47 in the first. After Tomáš Hertl got a stick on Mitch Marner’s shot from the point, Mark Stone batted the puck out of midair. Parker in front of the net, Stone pulled to his backhand, and chipped it in over Mackenzie Wedgewood’s blocker.
In the second period, the Avalanche boasted an 11-10 edge in shots. However, it was the Golden Knights with the lion’s share of scoring chances, generating 17 against Colorado’s nine.
The Golden Knights took their first lead of the night just 2:09 into the period. Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside Kaedan Korczak’s shot from the point, and the rebound kicked out to Ivan Barbadian behind the goal line. Barbashev protected the puck and set up Pavel Dorofeyev for a one-timed snipe from the left dot.
The Avalanche responded at 10:56 in the second. Nick Blankenburg fired a shot from the point that hit off the post and bounced off of Carter Hart’s back and into the net.
The teams played a scoreless, but eventful, third period. The Golden Knights outshot the Avalanche 10-6 and generated six high-danger scoring chances against Colorado’s three.
The Golden Knights scored the game-winner 1:19 into overtime. After the Avalanche missed the net on a 2-on-1, Jack Eichel took it back the other way and beat Mackenzie Blackwood below the blocker.
Three Takeaways of the Knight
1. The 2025-26 regular season officially comes to a close on Thursday. Despite the season ending in just five days, the Golden Knights have no clue who they’ll face in the playoffs. But tonight, they punched their ticket to the dance, and that is all that matters. Everything else is out of their hands.
2. Before tonight’s game, Pavel Dorofeyev and Jack Eichel had one goal in 12 games and one in 13, respectively. They both got over the hump tonight. Dorofeyev’s goal was his 36th of the season— a new career high.
3. The first goal that Carter Hart surrendered was exceptionally bad. However, he rebounded well and was named the second star of the night. Hart finished with 30 saves on 32 shots, including one against the Rocket Richard leader, Nathan Mackinnon, with 3:44 remaining in regulation.