INSTANT REACTION: Avs sleepy post-Christmas game turns into 6-5 shootout win

Seemed like in tonight’s game that the Avs are still waking up from their Christmas break. Same-day travel doesn’t necessarily help, either, but they managed to pull themselves together to rally for a 6-5 Avs win in the shootout.

The first period was very telling of the sleepiness. Alexander Holtz netted his first of the season to put the Vegas Golden Knights up 1-0, and it’s the only goal scored in that period. With that said, the Avs made a decent push and dominated possession numbers, and even led in expected goals for. Nothing translated, and they head into the second period down a goal…

A second period that was the epitome of “whiplash”. The Avs attempt to make the comeback starting with a flukey goal off of what looked to be Jeremy Lauzon’s stick, a goal that Samuel Girard will get credit for. Martin Necas also gets credited for a funny bounce off of Kaedan Korczak that Carter Hart can’t quite find the leverage to stretch and save. With a 2-2 game, things looked promising, but it didn’t last long as Vegas scores not a minute later. Not just that, but Ben Hutton and Brett Howden score within almost thirty seconds of each other to find a two-goal lead heading into the final frame.

Necas started the third period out pretty well, netting his second of the night – and the Avs’ first “real” goal of the night. Nathan MacKinnon also finally has his first really good play of the night and makes sure a Sam Malinski shot makes it past the goal line to tie things up 4-4.

Ultimately, Colton Sissons finds the lead for Vegas with four minutes remaining in regulation, but Artturi Lehkonen finds the back of the net with the extra attacker (Wedgewood pulled) to force overtime tied 5-5.

No one ends things in overtime, but MacKinnon is the hero in the shootout, earning the first shootout win for the Avs this season, and they will head back home with a 6-5 win.

Not the best from the top guys through 40 minutes

Nathan MacKinnon. Cale Makar. Devon Toews.

Take your pick from the litter, and it’s pretty bad no matter who you pull.

Nathan MacKinnon looked off (despite tallying a three-point night at the end of it all). Cale Makar took a penalty that I don’t really blame him for, but didn’t really do much to earn his stripes back for it. And Devon Toews… it just looked sloppy, all across the board. A late backcheck contributes to the first goal, and there has been nothing to contribute offensively.

The only thing good to take out of your top line was a Martin Necas goal, which is about as flukey as they come.

Plinko champs tonight apparently. pic.twitter.com/MuvTVdNmJH

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) December 28, 2025

This Vegas team is a team that floater shots like that don’t typically work against, but both of the first goals from the Avs were pretty pinball-esque, so it worked out to tie things up.

Though he did get a second one that looked a lot prettier than the flukey ones the Avs scored before that one.

And as great as Scott Wedgewood‘s shutout before the Christmas break was, tonight was certainly not his best performance of the season. Not his worst, but certainly not his best.

Multi-point night from each of the Sams

Girard’s credited flukey goal and his secondary assist on Necas’ first goal, and Malinski’s primary assists on both of the first goals made them the standout pairing in tonight’s game.

You don't see that every day. pic.twitter.com/tBfwbh3F90

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) December 28, 2025

This has been a career season for Sam Malinski, with 21 points (3g/18a) in just 37 games, more than surpassing his total of 15 points in 76 games last season. He was easily the best player in tonight’s game.

And while Girard wasn’t necessarily perfect, he did his job to get a goal and an assist on the board in tonight’s game.

Avs postgame pod