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Golden Knights to Level Series in Huge Game 4

Fleury to the Rescue - Again

The Vegas Golden Knights will look to even their second-round playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche when they play host to their West Division rivals in Game 4 on Sunday. Vegas got what amounted to a season-saving win in Game 3 after dropping the first two games against the Avalanche in Colorado. Now, the Knights need to repeat the feat in order to avoid falling into a 3-1 hole before this series heads back to the Mile High City for Game 5 on Tuesday.

Vegas got it done in Game 3 as a slight home dog at -105 as predicted. Head over to the BetUS online sportsbook to see Sunday’s Game 4 prices and the current NHL Odds for every playoff matchup going down right now.

Nick Holden Steals the puck Colorado Avalanche vs Vegas Golden Knights Picks
Ethan Miller/Getty Images/AFP

Vegas Golden Knights at Colorado Avalanche

When: Sunday, June 6, 2021, at 8:30 p.m. ET

Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV

TV: NBCSN, SN, TVAS

Radio: FM 92.5/AM 950

NHL Odds

Colorado -110

Vegas -110

Puck Line

Colorado -1½ (-270)

Vegas -1½ (+230)

Total: 5½

Three is Magic Number for Avalanche

Three really is a magic number for Colorado heading into Game 4 against Vegas. You see, the Avalanche are a near-lock to come out on top when they hold Vegas to fewer than three goals. Colorado has held its West Division rivals to two goals or less in each of its last six wins against the Golden Knights.

The Avs got the win in Game 1, limiting Vegas to a lone goal, before holding the Knights to a pair of goals in their hard-fought 3-2 Game 2 win on Wednesday. Colorado has limited Vegas to two goals or fewer nine times in its last 11 wins over Vegas.

Colorado suffered its first loss of the playoffs in Friday’s narrow 3-2 defeat. Still, the Avs had a good chance to take a commanding 3-0 series lead before Vegas scored a pair of third-period goals. Carl Soderberg lit the lamp and Mikko Rantanen scored for a fourth straight game. Goalie Philipp Grubauer made 40 saves for the Avalanche.

“We knew they were going to come in the last 10 minutes, and that’s what they did,” Rantanen said. “I think just a couple mistakes we made, and that’s going to cost you against a good team like Vegas. There’s no moment you can fall asleep. (Grubauer) played amazing again, but we can’t rely on him making 50 saves every night.”

The Avalanche are 4-0 in their last four Sunday games and 5-1 in their last six road games. They are 38-13 in their last 51 overall and 38-13 in their last 51 vs. NHL.

The Avalanche are 38-13 in their last 51 vs. West and 39-15 in their last 54 games playing on one day of rest. They are 7-3 in their last 10 vs. a team with a winning record and 36-16 in their last 52 after scoring two goals or less in their previous game. The Avalanche also are 9-19 in their last 28 playoff games as an underdog.

Fleury, Knights Look Like Puck Line Locks

Vegas got a pair of third-period goals from Jonathan Marchessault and Max Pacioretty just 45 seconds apart late in the third period to lift Vegas to a 3-2 victory over Colorado on Friday that effectively saved their season.

“It’s tough to believe when you miss so many chances, but with Marchy breaking the ice, it really got us going,” Pacioretty said. “So when that floater comes in from Holdy (Nick Holden), you just have a little more confidence that you’re going to tip it and that’s how it played out.”

William Karlsson also scored for Vegas and Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 18 shots, including two point-blank saves inside the final two minutes to seal the deal.

Marchessault bounced his goal in off the back of Grubauer and Pacioretty deflected defenseman Nick Holden’s shot from the point past Grubauer for the go-ahead goal. More importantly, Vegas controlled the neutral zone to keep Colorado’s speedy forwards from running wild.

“You’re not going to completely eliminate them, they’re going to get their chances,” Vegas captain Mark Stone said. “They’re one of the best lines in the league for a reason. But we see ourselves as one of the best lines in the league as well.”

The Golden Knights are 39-14 in their last 53 home games and are 36-13 in their last 49 Sunday games. They are 36-15 in their last 51 games as a home favorite and 14-6 in their last 20 games playing on one day of rest. The Golden Knights are 35-16 in their last 51 vs. NHL and 13-6 in their last 19 after allowing two goals or less in their previous game. They are 45-22 in their last 67 games following a win.

Knights are Golden Pick in Game 4

Vegas might not have looked like a dominant team in its narrow Game 3 win, but I like the Golden Knights to get it done again in Game 4 for a couple of reasons.

First, Vegas has dominated the action in each of the last two games by outshooting Colorado 41-25 in Game 2 and 43-20 in Game 3. That kind of defense leads me to believe the Knights are going to keep the Avs from getting a bunch of shots on goal in Game 4.

Then, there’s the fact that future Hall of Fame netminder Marc-Andre Fleury has been lights out all season long and clearly makes Vegas a far more difficult team to beat when he’s on the ice.

Fleury has limited the opposition to two goals or fewer seven times in his last 10 appearances with two shutouts and two games of one goal allowed.

The Golden Knights are 10-2 in their last 12 when their opponent scores two goals or fewer in their previous game, and the home team in this rivalry is 4-1 in the last five meetings. Vegas wins Game 4 and I believe they could cover the Puck Line odds as well.

Pick: Vegas Golden Knights -110

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