Las Vegas in the semi-finals

The Vegas Golden Knights win their second-round Stanley Cup Playoffs “best-of-seven” series against the Colorado Avalanche 4:2 after trailing 0:2 and advance to the semi-finals. Vegas win a thrilling Game Six at their home T-Mobile Arena 6:3 to celebrate their fourth consecutive victory.

Just 1:15 after the opening face-off, the score is already 1:1. Devon Toews needs only 23 seconds to open the scoring, but Nick Holden quickly equalises for Vegas. William Karlsson (16th) gives the home side the lead for the first time, before Mikko Rantanen (24th/PP) levels the score at the start of the middle period.

Andre Burakovsky (37th) equalises for Colorado after Keegan Kolesar (35th) gives the Golden Knights a 3:2 lead, before Alex Pietrangelo puts Vegas back in front eight seconds before the break. In the final period, William Carrier (52th) provides the decisive goal before Max Pacioretty (57th) seals the win with an empty-net goal.

Vegas goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury records 30 saves, compared with 17 for his opposite number Philipp Grubauer. Colorado therefore fall in the second round for the third consecutive time. Vegas face the Montreal Canadiens for a place in the final.  

The New York Islanders are also in the semi-finals. The New Yorkers beat the Boston Bruins 6:2 at home in Game Six to win their second-round “best-of-seven” series 4:2.

After an evenly matched first period, goals from Travis Zajac (9th) and Brad Marchand (18th/PP) leave the score at 1:1. In the middle period, Brock Nelson with a brace (26th, 33th) and Kyle Palmieri (37th) provide the decisive advantage. Marchand brings the visitors back into contention with his power-play goal in the 46th minute, but Cal Clutterbuck and Ryan Pulock seal the win with two empty-net goals in the final minute.

The shot count narrowly favours the Islanders at 27:25, with the Islanders ruthlessly clinical in front of goal and able to rely on goaltender Semyon Varlamov. In the semi-finals, they face defending champions Tampa Bay Lightning, who beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4:1.