Avalanche get lucky in Vegas, keep division hopes alive

LAS VEGAS – The Vegas Golden Knights only dressed 16 players for this very important game; 10 forwards, five defenseman and goalie Robin Lehner. The Colorado Avalanche dressed 19 players – 12 forwards, six defensemen and goalie Philipp Grubauer.

At times, it seemed like the only player the Avs really had in this one was Grubauer. But that’s all it takes sometimes in the game of hockey: a red-hot goalie.

Grubauer flat-out stole two points here in Sin City against the Golden Knights, as the Avs kept their hopes very much alive of pulling off an inside straight to win the Honda West Division title. The Avs pretty much needed to win their final five games to have a realistic chance at winning the division, and this made Number Three, with two home games remaining against the Los Angeles Kings.