Knights-Avalanche Game 5 Quick Hits: Vegas takes control of series with overtime win – The Denver Post

1. Third-period nightmare

For the first 40 minutes, the Avalanche had re-discovered its “A” game for the first time since Period 1 of Game 2. Coach Jared Bednar’s re-configured forward lines created chances and goals by Brandon Saad (first period) and Joonas Donskoi. Third-line winger Logan O’Connor was throwing his body around and trying to generate a fore-check. The Avs led 2-0 after two and had a 23-14 shots advantage. It … was … the … better team. But then the third period happened. A bad turnover by winger Andre Burakovsky quickly turned into Alex Tuch’s goal at the 1:03 mark and 3:04 later, the Knights tied in Jonathan Marchessault’s goal off an odd-man rush. Just like that, 40 minutes of expert work was thrown away. And Vegas took a 3-2 series lead just 50 seconds into overtime on captain Mark Stone’s goal.

2. Fourth line statement

For most of the postseason, Joonas Donskoi skated on the second line but didn’t have much to show for it — two goals and two assists in eight games and only one assist in the Vegas series. But with 4:32 left in the second period, Donskoi found an open pocket in the high slot and one-timed Alex Newhook’s great pass past Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. Donskoi’s goal capped a period-long surge in which the Avs were the far-better team and the entire building could feel a goal coming. Just that one pass by Newhook showed his value for the present (Game 6 and possibly Game 7) but also the future (next year as a center, his best position). In his short stay with the Avs since leaving Boston College and being called up from AHL Colorado, Newhook has showed play-making potential.

3. Landy’s last home game?

Moving to the second line didn’t help Landeskog break out of his scoring funk. He tried to get his game going by being physical, but he had no shots on goal through regulation after no shots on goal in Games 3-4. Problem is, he didn’t have the puck on his stick that often, either. And when he did early in the third period, he made a poor pass that deflected off defenseman Ryan Graves’ skate, bounding into the neutral zone to allow Vegas a rush to tie the game at the 4:07 mark of the third. Later, he had a 1-on-1 against Vegas defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and tried to be too fancy instead of dumping the puck in or firing a shot in hopes of a rebound. Landeskog, the Avs’ captain, is a free agent this summer and it’s possibly he may have played his last home game Tuesday. Landeskog picked a bad time for his offensive game to desert him.

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