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Colorado Avalanche get by Vegas Golden Knights, stay in hunt for top spot in West Division

J.T. Compher scored out of a knot of limbs in front of the net more than halfway through the third period and secured an ugly win for the Colorado Avalanche.

The Vegas Golden Knights’ game plan Monday proved effective, except that Philipp Grubauer looked to be in postseason form. He made 36 saves and steadied the Avalanche until they started dictating play late in a 2-1 win in Vegas.

The victory kept the Avalanche in control in the West Division. They needed a regulation win to keep their Presidents’ Trophy and first-place hopes alive.

“From a team perspective, I don’t think it was one of our best games,” Grubauer said. “I think we dialed it up a notch in the last period, made the right choices, played the right way.

“I think the first two were some periods to forget for sure.”

Vegas rarely allowed Colorado time to get to work in the offensive zone during the first period. Andre Burakovsky didn’t need it on the second period’s only scoring play. Nazem Kadri chipped the puck back to Burakovsky and he went straight up the middle. Just before Vegas’ defensemen folded in on him, he sniped a shot in from the high slot.

Alex Newhook earned the secondary assist on Burakovsky’s 100th career goal. He later sent the puck to Compher in the crease, giving him a multipoint night in his fourth NHL game.

Alex Pietrangelo found a rebound at his feet and put it past Grubauer 8:11 into the game.

Vegas played the Avalanche hard while undermanned due to salary cap constraints, as reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The Golden Knights had the use of 15 skaters and two goaltenders after Peyton Krebs and Alec Martinez suffered injuries.

They smothered Colorado regardless, particularly the top line.

“We were able to squeak one out, and that’s what it’s going to take in the playoffs,” Compher said. “It’s not going to be (that) we outshoot them 40-20 every night we get a (win).

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“We were able to battle that one out tonight.”

The penalty kill was 3-for-3 with a pair of particularly timely efforts, on a long 4-on-3 in the first period and a tripping call to Joonas Donskoi in the third period.

Coach Jared Bednar praised his penalty kill, Burakovsky and especially Grubauer.

“Without him, we don’t have any chance in this one, in my opinion,” he said. “Vegas was more competitive, won the bulk of the puck battles, played with more pace, better execution. Their commitment to check was strong. I don’t think we executed what we wanted to do in that game at all.

“We weren’t ready to compete the way that they were tonight. We’re going to have to be, starting against L.A. on Wednesday.”

Should the Avalanche sweep a two-game series against the Los Angeles Kings for the second time in a week, they’ll take a potential tiebreaker against Vegas and the division’s top seed.

“L.A., they have nothing to lose,” Grubauer said. “We’ve got to find a way to play our game again.”

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