Max Pacioretty scored early in the second period, and Marc-Andre Fleury made 30 saves to secure a 1-0 victory for the Vegas Golden Knights over the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday.
The win helped Vegas, which improved to 5-1-0 since returning from a COVID-19-related pause, regain first place in the West Division. The Golden Knights now hold a one-point lead over the St. Louis Blues with 21 points.
Despite playing their second game in as many days after a 3-1 victory over San Jose on Saturday, Vegas remained sharp against a Colorado team that was playing its first game in nearly two weeks due to a COVID-19-related pause.
Fleury, who has allowed two or fewer goals in seven of his eight starts this season, was stellar once again, improving his career record against the Avalanche to 12-5-2.
Avalanche goalie Philipp Grubauer, who has started nine of Colorado’s 11 games this season, made 23 saves and appeared unaffected by the extended break. His only lapse came when Zach Whitecloud sent a long pass to Pacioretty, who raced to the top of the right circle and fired a wrist shot under Grubauer’s glove for his seventh goal of the season.
Whitecloud has been consistently contributing, recording three points over his past five games and posting a positive or even plus-minus in his last 11 contests since Jan. 16.
“Chemistry and communication are key for us,” Whitecloud said. “We’ve got a group that’s very familiar and comfortable with each other, and we all know our roles on the ice.”
This chemistry has allowed the Golden Knights to succeed in high-scoring and defensive battles. They have played eight games in which the total goals exceeded six and five more with fewer than four combined goals.
“This team can compete in any game style,” said Vegas coach Peter DeBoer. “Whether it’s a grind-it-out, 1-0 game like tonight or a high-scoring affair, we’re built to handle it. Most games will look more like tonight as we approach playoff time, so this is a great sign for us.”
Pacioretty’s goal proved to be enough for Vegas, as Fleury earned his second shutout of the season and 63rd of his career, moving him one behind Henrik Lundqvist for 16th all-time.
The Avalanche’s extended break began after playing Minnesota on Feb. 3, when five Wild players were placed on the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list. Avalanche forward Tyson Jost, captain Gabriel Landeskog, and defenseman Samuel Girard were later added to the list, leading to the postponement of five games.
“We were missing a bit of our jump, which was expected,” said Colorado coach Jared Bednar. “We had the right mindset, but we lacked that final bit of execution needed to create chances.”
HEALTHY RETURNS
On the bright side for Colorado, the break allowed Nathan MacKinnon, Devon Toews, and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare to recover from injuries. All three returned to action on Sunday.
MILESTONES
Colorado’s Brandon Saad played his 600th NHL game, while Valeri Nichushkin appeared in his 300th contest. Fleury is just two wins shy of reaching 100 victories with Vegas.
WHAT’S NEXT
- The Golden Knights and Avalanche continue their four-game series on Tuesday in Las Vegas, followed by a game at Lake Tahoe on Feb. 20 and the finale in Denver on Feb. 22.
