4-3 Golden Knights 3rd Period
VGK Leads Series 2-0
GAME PREVIEW
Vegas comes home with the series exactly where John Tortorella wants it — tight, territorial, and already tilted their way. They’ve taken the first two games in Denver by winning the middle of the ice and letting Carter Hart’s calm, economical goaltending do the rest.
His .924 save percentage in these playoffs has been the quiet backbone of a team that doesn’t need to overwhelm you, just outlast you. Add in the Marner–Eichel engine — 19 and 16 points respectively this postseason — and Vegas arrives at T‑Mobile Arena with the look of a club that has already imposed its shape on the series.
Colorado, meanwhile, is staring at the kind of moment that defines whether a contender stays in the fight or gets swallowed by it. MacKinnon has 14 points in 11 games, but Vegas has kept him from dictating pace, and the Avs’ goaltending — steady but not spectacular — hasn’t stolen them a night yet.
Their power play sits at 24.1% in the postseason, but they haven’t cracked Vegas’ 86% kill when it mattered. Game 3 becomes a test of oxygen and identity: can Colorado stretch the rink in a building designed to suffocate visiting teams, or does Vegas tighten the vise another turn and push this matchup toward inevitability.
Latest stats, highlights, and data at source Colorado Avalanche - Vegas Golden Knights - May 24, 2026 | NHL.com
