AP

Roy scores twice, Knights hold off banged-up Avalanche 3-2

Jan 2, 2023, 6:46 AM | Updated: 9:50 pm

Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen, right, reaches out for the puck after Vegas Golden Kn...

Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen, right, reaches out for the puck after Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson (36) stopped a shot as Golden Knights defenseman Nicolas Hague covers in the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)


              Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen, right, reaches out for the puck after Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson (36) stopped a shot as Golden Knights defenseman Nicolas Hague covers in the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
            
              Colorado Avalanche left wing Artturi Lehkonen, left, is blocked from shooting the puck by Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nicolas Hague, center, as Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson protects the net in the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
            
              Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson reacts after giving up a goal to Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen in the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
            
              Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, right, shoots the puck after driving past Vegas Golden Knights left wing William Carrier in the third period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
            
              Colorado Avalanche center Andrew Cogliano, left, redirects the puck at Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson in the third period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
            
              Vegas Golden Knights center Chandler Stephenson, front, battles for control of the puck with Colorado Avalanche left wing J.T. Compher in the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
            
              Vegas Golden Knights center Phil Kessel, left, congratulates Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson after the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
            
              Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev, right, stops a shot as Vegas Golden Knights center Phil Kessel skates into him in the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
            
              Vegas Golden Knights center Nicolas Roy, left, shoots the puck for a goal past Colorado Avalanche defenseman Andreas Englund (88) in the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
            
              Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard, right, checks Vegas Golden Knights right wing Jonas Rondbjerg in the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
            
              Colorado Avalanche left wing Artturi Lehkonen, second from left, tries to redirect the puck into the net as, from left, Vegas Golden Knights defensemen Brayden McNabb and Alex Pietrangelo aid goaltender Logan Thompson in the first period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
            
              Colorado Avalanche center Ben Meyers, center, shoots the puck wide of the net as Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nicolas Hague, left, and goaltender Logan Thompson defend in the first period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
            
              Vegas Golden Knights center Nicolas Roy, center, is congratulated by defenseman Kaedan Korczak, left, and left wing William Carrier after scoring a goal in the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

DENVER (AP) — Nicolas Roy scored twice in the second period, Mark Stone extended his road point streak to a franchise-record eight games and the Vegas Golden Knights held off the banged-up Colorado Avalanche 3-2 on Monday night.

Michael Amadio also scored for the Pacific Division-leading Golden Knights. Stone had an assist on Amadio’s first-period goal to break a team road point record he shared with Jack Eichel (November 2022), Max Pacioretty (2019-20) and Paul Stastny (2018-19). Stone has three goals and six assists during his streak.

It was a memorable night for Roy, who scored twice in a regular season game for the second time in his career. This was his 200th NHL contest.

“Our first line has been doing a great job. They’ve been scoring a lot of goals. So it’s nice to help them,” said Roy, who scored his first goal since Nov. 25.

Logan Thompson stopped 27 shots as he settled in after giving up a goal to Nathan MacKinnon just 25 seconds into the game. It was the fastest game-opening goal by an Avalanche player since MacKinnon scored 11 seconds into a contest on Oct. 13, 2018, according to NHL Stats.

“They got off to a good start, obviously, and we didn’t let that get to us,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. “You’ve got to be careful that one doesn’t turn into two and three with a high-octane line like them.”

Down 3-1 midway through the third, Mikko Rantanen pushed in the puck for a goal that was awarded after a brief review. The Avalanche couldn’t capitalize on a late power play (they went 0 for 5) or tie it up after pulling goaltender Alexandar Georgiev with around two minutes left.

“They’re not coming easy for us,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said of goal scoring. “If we put in the work and we focus on the process … when you’re doing the right things, we’re going to get the result. We’ve just got to stay with it. Stay positive, stick together.”

Georgiev made 25 saves for the Avalanche, who dropped their fourth straight game (0-3-1). They had shots from Rantanen and J.T. Compher ring off the post.

“It’s a good hockey team we played,” MacKinnon said. “The effort was there tonight. If we repeat that kind of performance, minus some turnovers, I think we can win some games.”

MacKinnon quickly scored in his second game back from an injury that caused the speedy forward to miss nearly a month. Later in the first, MacKinnon nearly had an assist, only to have Rantanen’s shot clang off the crossbar. The Golden Knights picked up the rebound, skated down the ice and tied it on Amadio’s sixth goal of the season.

“That was unlucky,” MacKinnon said. “It would’ve been 2-0 early and who knows from there.”

Colorado forward Darren Helm made his season debut after working his way back from a lower-body injury. Helm became the 38th different player the Avalanche have used, which is one away from tying the team’s record for most in a single season.

“It felt great being back out there with the guys,” Helm said. “I definitely have got a lot more to give.”

AROUND THE ICE

Avalanche C Evan Rodrigues was a late scratch with an upper-body injury. … Bednar said captain Gabriel Landeskog was “nowhere close” to a return from arthroscopic knee surgery he had in October. … D Josh Manson (lower body) was slated to start skating Tuesday. … Avalanche D Andreas Englund and Knights F Keegan Kolesar picked up five-minute major penalties for fighting.

UP NEXT

Golden Knights: Host Pittsburgh on Thursday night.

Avalanche: At Vancouver on Thursday night.

___

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