NHL Roundup: Avalanche Lead Western Conference; Gibson Reunites with Ducks
Colorado Avalanche vs. Vegas Golden Knights
The Avalanche secured the top spot in the Western Conference with a decisive win over the Golden Knights. Martin Necas (8), recently signed to an eight-year extension, made a strong impact by scoring a goal and adding two assists in his first game under the new contract.
- Necas opened the scoring just 41 seconds into the game.
- Brock Nelson (3) extended the lead to 2-0 in the second period.
- Tomas Hertl (5) scored on a power play for Vegas to make it 2-1.
- Brent Burns (1), a 4-year-old in NHL terms, netted his first goal of the season with an assist from Necas.
- Mitch Marner (3) for Vegas responded quickly, narrowing the gap to 3-2 in the third.
- Cale Makar (4) sealed the win with an empty-net goal, assisted by Necas.
With this win, Colorado improved to 7-1-4 (18 points), while Vegas slipped to 6-2-3 (15 points).
Washington Capitals vs. New York Islanders
Despite Tom Wilson (6) scoring first for the Capitals, New York surged back with three unanswered goals to claim victory.
- Jean-Gabriel Pageau (3) scored a short-handed goal before the end of the first period to tie the game.
- Bo Horvat (7) put the Islanders ahead 2-1.
- Matthew Barzal (3), recently benched by coach Patrick Roy for "personal reasons," scored an empty-net goal to secure the win.
Barzal's empty-netter "gifts the Caps their third loss in the past five games."
Player Reunion
Fans in Anaheim witnessed a reunion with their former long-term goalie, adding a sentimental highlight to the night's lineup.
Author’s summary: The Avalanche climbed to first place in the Western Conference with key contributions from Martin Necas, while the Islanders overcame the Capitals despite Barzal’s recent benching and Ducks fans welcomed back a familiar goalie.