Avalanche falls 51 to Vegas in opening game of preseason
The Avalanche opened the preseason Tuesday with a 51 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights at the Pepsi Center. The defending Western Conference champs scored twice on the power play in building a 30 lead and cruised to their second straight exhibition triumph. Avs rookie defenseman Ryan Graves, acquired from the New York Rangers for Chris Bigras in February, scored Colorado’s goal.
The Avalanche used its most of its core players in the opener, because it was at home. Most of the secondtier players and other youngsters will play at Minnesota on Saturday night in the second of six preseason games. Three stars:
1. Erik Brannstrom. Vegas defenseman had a hand in his team’s first two goals, with an assist and goal.
2. Paul Stastny. Knights center, a former Avs star, had two as sists.
3. Alex Tuch. Vegas forward had a goal and an assist.
Play of the night: It was the tictactoe Alex Tuch goal that gave the Knights a 30 lead late in the second period. Tuch took a backdoor pass from Paul Stastny, after Stastny got the puck from Oscar Lindberg off the opposite side wall. Stastny, a former Avs standout, still has a home in Denver and is in his first year playing in Vegas after beginning each of the last four seasons with the St. Louis Blues.
In net: As scheduled, Varlamov played the first two periods and Spencer Martin came in to begin the third. Varlamov stopped 21of24 shots and Martin 4of6.
Rookie watch: Defenseman Mason Geertsen took highsticking and crosschecking penalties and Vegas scored on both power plays. Geertsen’s game is toughness, but both of his infractions were illadvised. … Forward Logan O’Connor, who was original ly pegged to serve as captain this season as a senior for the University of Denver, played right wing on a line with center J.T. Compher and left wing Matt Calvert. The rightshooting O’Connor saw some time on the power play from the left wing.
his chances, but like all youngsters on entrylevel contracts, there won’t be openingnight roster spots without injuries to veterans, and at this time the only significant injuries are to rookie defensemen Conor Timmins and Nicholas Meloche. O’Connor, however, was singled out by coach Jared Bednar after the game as a guy who has a chance to make the team.
Final thought: The Avs’ MGM Line — center Nathan MacKinnon and wingers Gabe Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen — had just five shots. … But the star forwards had their chances and won’t be split up anytime soon — if ever this season.