{{pageModel.leagueAbbr}} {{pageModel.subtitle}} | Las Vegas Review-Journal
National Hockey League
Vegas 4, Colorado 1
When: 10:00 PM ET, Monday, March 26, 2018
Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
Referees: Dave Jackson, Tom Kowal
Linesmen: Devin Berg, Kiel Murchison
Attendance: 18326
Marc-Andre Fleury made 28 saves to pick up his 403rd career victory and tie Grant Fuhr for 11th place on the all-time wins list as the expansion Vegas Golden Knights clinched a Stanley Cup playoff berth with a 4-1 decision over the Colorado Avalanche on Monday night in Las Vegas.

William Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault each had a goal and two assists, Shea Theodore finished with a goal and an assist, and Alex Tuch also scored a goal for Pacific Division-leading Vegas (48-21-7, 103 points).

The Golden Knights became the third expansion team since 1968-69 to make the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Hartford Whalers and Edmonton Oilers both accomplished the feat in 1979-80 after moving over from the World Hockey Association.

Fleury, who had 24 saves in the first two periods, improved to 28-11-4 this season. Vegas' Gerard Gallant earned his 200th career coaching victory.

Semyon Varlamov made 26 saves for Colorado, which won a 2-1 shootout over the Golden Knights on Saturday afternoon in Denver in the first half of the home-and-home set. On Monday, Erik Johnson scored his ninth goal of the season for the Avalanche (41-27-8, 90 points).

Tuch started the scoring at the 4:14 mark of the second period with a power-play goal. He swatted in a rebound of a Karlsson shot from the left side of the net for his 14th of the season.

Colorado tied it when Johnson buried a rebound of a Blake Comeau shot past Fleury's glove side at 13:41 of the middle period. Comeau nudged the Vegas goalie while skating through the front of the crease just before Johnson released his shot. The Golden Knights challenged for goalie interference, but the goal was allowed to stand.

On the ensuing faceoff, Colorado's Tyson Jost picked up a double minor for high-sticking when his stick got caught under the faceguard of Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and opened a nasty cut around the left eye of the Vegas winger. Marchessault scored his 25th goal of the season at 14:16 to give the Golden Knights a 2-1 lead.

Theodore scored his first goal in 32 games early in the third period to give Vegas a 3-1 lead, taking a pass from Erik Haula in the slot and firing a wrist shot over Varlamov's glove for his fifth goal of the season.

Karlsson sealed it with his 40th goal of the season, an empty-netter with 15.4 seconds remaining.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Colorado   Vegas
Erik Johnson 1 Points William Karlsson 3
Erik Johnson 1 Goals William Karlsson 1
Blake Comeau 1 Assists William Karlsson 2
N/A Power Play Goals Jonathan Marchessault 1
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Semyon Varlamov .897 Save Percentage Marc-Andre Fleury .966
Semyon Varlamov 26 Saves Marc-Andre Fleury 28
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Colorado 29 1 0-3 2-4 8 22
Vegas 30 4 2-4 3-3 6 30
Upcoming Games
  • Vegas will play their next game at home against Arizona. The Golden Knights have a W/L % of .617 after a win and .655 after a loss.
  • Colorado will play their next game at home against Philadelphia. The Avalanche have a W/L % of .524 after a win and .559 after a loss.