NHL Roundup: Avalanche Lead Western Conference, Gibson Returns to Ducks
Avalanche vs. Golden Knights
The NHL featured three games on Friday, with no shutouts or overtime, but Anaheim fans saw a reunion with their former longtime goalie. Colorado's Martin Necas shone in his first game after signing an eight-year extension with the Avalanche just the day before.
- Necas scored the opening goal 41 seconds in and added two assists.
- Brock Nelson scored the team's second goal, putting Colorado ahead 2-0.
- Vegas responded with a power-play goal by Tomas Hertl.
- Brent Burns scored his first goal of the season, assisted by Necas, making it 3-1 for the Avalanche.
- Mitch Marner quickly answered for Vegas, trimming the score to 3-2 in the third period.
- Necas assisted on Cale Makar's empty-net goal, sealing a 4-2 victory for Colorado.
With the win, the Avalanche hold the top spot in the Western Conference with an 7–1–4 record (18 points), while Vegas falls to 6–2–3 (15 points).
Capitals vs. Islanders
After Tom Wilson gave the Capitals an early lead, the New York Islanders rallied with three consecutive goals to clinch the win.
- Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored short-handed to tie the game before the first period ended.
- Bo Horvat then put the Islanders ahead 2-1.
- Matthew Barzal, recently benched by coach Patrick Roy for "personal reasons," scored an empty-net goal to secure the win.
This defeat marks the Capitals' third loss in their last five games.
"Matthew Barzal... was benched recently by head coach Patrick Roy for 'personal reasons'."
Summary: The Colorado Avalanche's strong performance propelled them to the top of the Western Conference, while New York overcame an early deficit to defeat Washington, highlighting key player comebacks and team resilience.