LAS VEGAS — In a difficult place to play on the heels of two blown leads that led to disappointing home losses, the Avalanche on Monday night bounced back quite nicely against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena.
Timely goals came from all four lines — two from third-line center Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, a former Knight — and goalie Pavel Francouz was excellent in Colorado’s 7-3 triumph heading into the NHL’s mandatory three-day Christmas break.
Bellemare scored the Avs’ first and fifth goals. Matt Nieto, Nazem Kadri, Gabe Landeskog, Mikko Rantanen and Valeri Nichushkjin also put pucks behind Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who was pulled midway through Colorado’s 6-1 victory in the same building on Oct.