Pierre-Edouard Bellemare found himself in unfamiliar territory at T-Mobile Arena, navigating the visitors’ locker room for the first time after two seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights. However, once on the ice, Bellemare looked right at home.
Nazem Kadri and Matt Calvert scored twice, while Bellemare added a goal and two assists to help the Colorado Avalanche cruise past the Golden Knights 6-1 on Friday. Cale Makar also contributed a goal, and the Avalanche improved to an impressive 8-1-1 on the season.
On a day celebrating Nevada Day, Colorado took center stage in Bellemare’s first game against his former team since signing with the Avalanche in the offseason.
“It was weird, honestly,” Bellemare said about facing Vegas so early in the season. “Once the game starts, you just focus on your job. Getting the win made it a little easier.”
Colorado struck first just 28 seconds into the game. Bellemare intercepted a pass from Mark Stone and skated around Vegas defenseman Deryk Engelland before firing a shot past Marc-Andre Fleury for an early lead.
“Everything seemed to go my way today,” Bellemare said. “The puck just followed me around like a magnet. It was a good game for me.”
After Bellemare’s goal, Vegas honored him with a touching video tribute, highlighting his time with the team and their historic run to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final. The tribute earned Bellemare a standing ovation from the sellout crowd.
The Avalanche also showcased their defensive prowess, killing off all four of Vegas’ power-play opportunities. Colorado’s penalty kill was particularly impressive, stifling a Golden Knights’ power play that had ranked seventh in the league at home.
The victory capped off a successful six-game road trip for Colorado, where they went 4-1-1. According to coach Jared Bednar, a brief stop home between the fifth and sixth games proved to be just what the team needed.
“We had some tough games, but getting home for a little rest—mentally and physically—really helped us tonight,” Bednar said. “We looked fresh, and our attention to detail was excellent.”
William Karlsson scored the lone goal for Vegas, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Colorado’s relentless attack. Goaltender Philipp Grubauer was solid for the Avalanche, making 25 saves, while Vegas managed only 26 shots, their second-lowest total of the season.
Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant wasn’t happy with his team’s defensive performance.
“We need to focus on keeping the puck out of our net,” Gallant said. “We’ve got to be better defensively.”
Fleury was pulled midway through the second period after allowing four goals on 22 shots. Backup Garret Sparks made his debut for Vegas and allowed two goals on 15 shots in relief.
Kadri’s first goal came just before the end of the first period to make it 2-1, and Makar extended Colorado’s lead early in the second with his first NHL goal. Kadri then added his second of the night, essentially ending Fleury’s night. Calvert scored the Avalanche’s final two goals, both assisted by Bellemare.
Game Notes:
- Cale Makar now leads all NHL rookies in assists (8) and is tied with Buffalo’s Victor Olofsson for points (9).
- Nathan MacKinnon became the first Avalanche player in franchise history to start a season with a 10-game point streak.
Up Next:
- Colorado: Returns home to host the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday.
- Vegas: Hosts the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday as part of a four-game homestand.
