. I thought that wasn't going to be a difference if it's now or if it's later in the season. ... Once the game starts you just think about your job and then you work.''It makes it easier that we got the win.'' Colorado, which has scored at least one goal in 23 of its 30 regulation periods, dominated Vegas from the drop, sparked by Bellemare's goal 28 seconds into the game.Vegas' former fourth-line center intercepted Mark Stone's cross-ice pass, skated around Deryk Engelland and sent a shot past Marc-Andre Fleury to give the Avalanche a 1-0 lead.''Everything went my way, the puck was like a magnet,'' Bellemare said. ''It felt like it just stayed with me. I tried stuff that I've probably never tried before and I fired, and it was in the net. And I'm like, `What the heck just happened?' It was a good game for me.'' It wasn't too long after Bellemare's goal a touching video tribute played, highlighting his time with the Golden Knights - including their run to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season - drawing a standing ovation from the sell-out crowd.''I've never really had that before, so I don't know how to compare it to anything, but it felt good,'' Bellemare said. ''Thank God the video wasn't too long because I would have had a hard time focusing on the (penalty) kill right after that.'' It was an area the Avalanche were clearly focused by dominating Vegas, as Colorado was 4 for 4 with its penalty kill, thwarting a Golden Knights power play that came into the game ranked seventh with the man-advantage at home.The Avalanche closed out an impressive six-game road trip with a 4-1-1 record, but it was a quick trip home between the fifth and sixth games of the junket that coach Jared Bednar said was a huge boost for his weary troops.''We played some real tough games there and I think just to get home and have the day off and get a little bit of rest physically, but also to get a mental break away from the game, spend some time with friends and family for a day, it paid off for us tonight,'' Bednar said. ''I liked our legs. I thought we were skating real well, we looked real focused on the details tonight as well.'' William Karlsson was the only who could find the back of the net for Vegas, which dropped to 3-3-0 at home this season. Colorado goaltender Phillip Grubauer was stellar thereafter, finishing with 25 saves. Vegas' 26 shots on goal were its second lowest this season.''It's about doing the right things and playing the right way. I don't care who scores, I really don't,'' Vegas coach Gerard Gallant said. ''But we gotta keep the puck out of our net, that's our biggest thing right now and we gotta play a lot better team defense than that.'' Fleury was replaced by Garret Sparks with 7:24 left in the second period after allowing four goals and making just 22 saves. Sparks, who won 14 of his 37 career appearances with Toronto, allowed two goals and made 13 saves in his first appearance with Vegas since being acquired from the Maple Leafs in July.Kadri made it 2-1 just before the end of the first period, and Makar extended Colorado's lead to two with his first NHL goal. Kadri's second goal midway through the second period essentially ended Fleury's night.Calvert scored Colorado's last two goals, both assisted by Bellemare.NOTES: Makar leads all NHL rookies in assists (8) and is tied for first with Buffalo's Victor Olofsson with nine points. ... MacKinnon is the first Avalanche in franchise history to open the season on a 10-game point streak.UP NEXTColorado: Hosts the Anaheim Ducks on SaturdayVegas: Hosts the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday in the second of a four-game homestand.---More NHL: https://apnews.com/tag/NHL and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
The Colorado Avalanche conclude their longest road trip of the season with a Nevada Day holiday matinee against the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday in Las Vegas.It's the sixth game of an 11-day trip that crossed the majority of the country for the Avalanche, beginning with a 6-3 win at the Washington Capitals on Oct. 14. Colorado paid visits to Pittsburgh, Florida, Tampa Bay and St. Louis, where it sustained its first regulation loss of the season with a 3-1 setback to the Blues on Monday night.The Avalanche flew home to spend a few days in Colorado before flying to Las Vegas on Thursday afternoon. The Avalanche opened the season with a 7-0-1 record before the loss to the Blues, ending the second-longest season-opening point streak in franchise history. They went 9-0-2 to start the 2000-01 season.One player who won't be making the trip to Las Vegas is right wing Mikko Rantanen, who left Monday's loss early in the second period with a lower-body injury.Rantanen, who had a career highs in goals (31), assists (56) and points (87) last season, is tied with linemate Nathan MacKinnon for the team scoring lead with 12 points (five goals, seven assists)."Just see how he progresses over the next few days I think is a big thing," Colorado coach Jared Bednar said, when asked how long Rantanen could be sidelined following practice on Wednesday. "I can tell you I don't think it is going to be a four-to-six week injury. We are hoping he is going to be back significantly sooner than that. But we are going to just watch it and see." "It (stinks), MacKinnon said. "He is one of the best players in the NHL. When you lose one of the best players in the NHL, it's tough. We're not going to replace him, but he got hurt last year and we found a way to get some wins. Hopefully we can weather the storm until he gets back." Bednar said they will re-evaluate Rantanen early next week."Mikko's a freak," MacKinnon said. "He'll be back I'm sure sooner than later. We need guys to step up, including myself." MacKinnon, who scored the lone goal in Monday's loss, has scored a point in all nine games for the Avalanche, tying the longest streak in team history to start a season. He also accomplished the feat last season, joining Wayne Gretzky, Charlie Simmer, Guy Lafleur and Rod Gilbert as the only players in NHL history to record a season-opening point streak of at least nine games in consecutive seasons.Vegas opens a four-game homestand after winning two of three contests on a road trip that started with a 3-0 win at Pittsburgh on Saturday. The Golden Knights rebounded from a 6-2 loss at Philadelphia two nights later before posting a 2-1 shootout victory at Chicago on Tuesday.The Golden Knights are 3-2-0 at T-Mobile Arena this season, including a 3-2 shootout win over Ottawa in their last home game on Oct. 17."Every game we play, our fans are showing up excited," said defenseman Shea Theodore, who scored in the shootout at Chicago."It's always fun to play in front of our home crowd. (Colorado) has a lot of highly skilled players. They play fast, and they can make you pay. We have to really try and put our best game together." -- Field Level Media
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