Kadri scores with 41 seconds left, Avalanche edge Vegas 3-2

Nazem Kadri scored with 41 seconds remaining in the third period, lifting the Colorado Avalanche to a 3-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night.

Moments after Marc-Andre Fleury stopped Mikko Rantanen’s backhand with 45.3 seconds left, the Avalanche got the better end of a faceoff from the right circle, eventually setting up Kadri, who was able to lift a loose puck into the net for his second game-winner of the season.

Nathan MacKinnon and Brandon Saad also scored for the Avalanche. Philip Grubauer stopped 27 shots.

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nicolas Hague (14) and center Nicolas Roy (10) defend as Colorado Avalanche forward J.T. Compher (37) advances the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP PhotoIsaac Brekken)

Max Pacioretty and Jonathan Marchessault scored for the Golden Knights. Fleury made 22 saves.

The teams split the first two of four games during a nine-day stretch, with the third scheduled for Lake Tahoe on Saturday in an outdoor setting.

Despite suffering just its third loss in regulation, Vegas (10-3-1) remained in first place in the West Division with 21 points. Colorado (8-4-1) is in third place with 17 points.

Vegas Golden Knights left wing William Carrier (28) and Colorado Avalanche forward Sheldon Dries (15) reach for the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP PhotoIsaac Brekken)

MacKinnon scored just his second career goal in 10 games against Golden Knights, his first inside Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, when he one-timed Mikko Rantanen’s pass to the slot past Fleury.

As they did in the first of the teams’ four games, a 1-0 loss on Sunday, the Avalanche looked to be the more efficient team at both ends, controlling the tempo and outshooting the Knights 9-7 in the first period, even after going the final 6:03 without a shot.

Vegas, meanwhile, struggled to find its rhythm, with chemistry being disrupted by untimely penalties and skating six of the first 20 minutes short-handed.

Colorado Avalanche goalie Philipp Grubauer (31) stops a shot from Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (7) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP PhotoIsaac Brekken)

Pacioretty, who scored Vegas’ lone goal in the first meeting, tied the game from his familiar place on the ice, firing a wrist shot from the top of the right circle. It was the fifth time in its last eight games Vegas scored at least one power-play goal.

Saad answered 63 seconds later, skating in front of the crease from the bottom of the left circle and slipping a backhand through Fleury’s pads to give Colorado a one-goal lead again.

With Grubauer flat on his stomach and facing the post, Marchessault knotted the game at 2-all in the third period, when he flipped a backhand through three Avalanche players to the top of the net. It was only the second 5-on-5 goal for Vegas over a whopping 229 minutes, 53 seconds, spanning five games.

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore (27) congratulates teammate left wing Max Pacioretty (67) after scoring on the Colorado Avalanche during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP PhotoIsaac Brekken)

WHAT’S NEXT

The teams play the third of their four-game set at Lake Tahoe on Saturday, before playing the finale in Denver on Feb. 22.

More AP NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Colorado Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri (91) and forward Brandon Saad (20) celebrate after Kadri scored against Vegas Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (29) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP PhotoIsaac Brekken)

Colorado Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri (91) celebrates after scoring on Vegas Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (29) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP PhotoIsaac Brekken)