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Hertl’s Late Winner Caps Golden Knights’ Wild 5-3 Rally, Giving Them a 3-0 Series Lead on Avalanche
Mark Stone sparked a three-goal response, and Vegas overcame a 3-0 deficit to move within one win of the Stanley Cup Final.
On Sunday, the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Colorado Avalanche 5-3 at T-Mobile Arena, seizing a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference Final and moving one game from their third Stanley Cup Final appearance in nine years.
Colorado dominated the first period with a 3-0 lead, but Vegas responded with five unanswered goals; the Golden Knights overcame a deficit they had failed to reverse in 19 previous playoff attempts.
Defenseman Cale Makar returned to Colorado's lineup after missing two games, while center Nathan MacKinnon played through a second-period knee injury. Forward Keegan Kolesar ended a 37-game playoff goal drought with a score.
Game 4 is scheduled for Tuesday in Las Vegas, where the Golden Knights can clinch the series. Historically, only the 1945 Detroit Red Wings have overcome a 3-0 playoff deficit to win.
Colorado, the President's Trophy winners, faces elimination after losing at home for the first time in the 2026 playoffs. Teams with a 2-0 series lead hold a 365-58 all-time record, underscoring the Avalanche's steep odds.
The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Colorado Avalanche 5-3 (0-3, 3-0, 2-0) at home in the Stanley Cup Western Conference Finals and took a three-nil lead in the series.