NHL Roundup: Avalanche Lead the Western Conference, Gibson Returns to Anaheim
The NHL featured a brief three-game schedule on Friday without any overtime thrillers or shutouts, but it did bring a special moment for Anaheim fans as they welcomed back their longtime goaltender.
Colorado Avalanche Secure Top Spot
Colorado’s Martin Necas, who recently signed an eight-year extension with the Avalanche, delivered an impressive debut performance. He opened the scoring just 41 seconds into the game and later added two assists.
- Brock Nelson extended the Avs’ lead to 2-0 in the second period.
- Vegas answered with a power-play goal from Tomas Hertl to cut the lead.
- Brent Burns netted his first of the season, assisted by Necas, for a 3-1 advantage.
- Vegas’ Mitch Marner struck back less than a minute later, making it 3-2.
- Necas tallied another assist on Cale Makar’s empty-net goal, sealing a 4-2 victory.
With this win, Colorado claimed the top spot in the Western Conference standings at 7-1-4 (18 points), while Vegas dropped to 6-2-3 (15 points).
Islanders Rally Past Capitals
After Tom Wilson opened the scoring for Washington, the New York Islanders answered decisively with three straight goals to secure victory.
- Jean-Gabriel Pageau tied the score with a short-handed goal before the first intermission.
- Bo Horvat’s goal in the second period gave the Islanders the lead.
- Matthew Barzal, who was recently benched by head coach Patrick Roy for
personal reasons
, added an empty-netter to finish off Washington’s third loss in five games.
Summary
The Avalanche maintained their surge with Necas’s breakout night, while the Islanders capitalized on special teams to overcome the Capitals’ early lead.
Author’s Summary
Colorado claimed the Western Conference lead with Necas’s standout debut, and the Islanders overturned the Capitals with strong depth scoring and defense.