Avs/Golden Knights Game 6 Grades: So it ends

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare – B

Bellemare was out there on the game-winning goal for Vegas, and the forwards on the ice were a jumbled mess all around but felt he had a good night overall. Picked up the primary assist on the Burakovsky goal and played well.

Andre Burakovsky – C-

Why didn’t we see more of that shot this series? Too often he curled up to look for the late guy and then would get pushed out of the zone. Great shot on his goal, it’s what we’ve seen a lot of in his two years in Colorado, but not enough overall.

J.T. Compher – D

The Avs survived with him in the St. Louis series in the 2C role. They couldn’t do it against a great team like Vegas. Just no offense from him overall. Makar set him up with a great one-time chance in the third and he got very little on it. Obviously not his fault he was put in that role, but for the second straight year in the playoffs, the Avs get next to no offense from him.

Joonas Donskoi – C

Avs had good numbers with him on the ice, but don’t recall him doing much. He did have a nice chance in the second period and completely passed up the shot. Sure fell out of favor with his ice time the longer the series went on.

Sam Girard – F

That might have been the worst game we’ve ever seen from Sam Girard, and terrible timing to have it. Just soft all over the ice, and in the third period, you could see him playing timid against the forecheck. A shame, because at times, it looked like he was moving better than he had before, but the mistakes were just massive.

Ryan Graves – D

Took three shots, and all three shots got blocked. Tried to create a lane in the first period against Tuch and when he did shot it right into him. Had some rough turnovers, and I did not like the soft play on the first Vegas goal when he was one of the three Avs players who couldn’t outbattle one Vegas forward.

Philipp Grubauer – F

That Holden goal killed the vibes…hard. You get a lead early on the road against a great team, kill the crowd, and then let that one in? I don’t know what else to say there. There were breakdowns after that, but five goals on 22 shots stinks.

Tyson Jost – F

Vegas overpowered Jost. Like Graves, he was one of the guys behind the net on the first Vegas goal who couldn’t help against the one Vegas forward. On the third Vegas goal, he lost a face-off very cleanly and then didn’t tie up the stick, and then on the game-winner, was running all over the place like everyone else on the ice. A shame to end a big breakthrough season like that.

Gabriel Landeskog – C

Landy was kind of a ghost in game seven last year, but that wasn’t the case tonight. Dominated in the face-off circle, attempted nine shots on net, with a team-leading five shots on goal. Was trying to do the right thing getting it to Girard on the second Vegas goal, but may have pushed it a little too far away from him.

Nathan MacKinnon – B+

It sucks that it took him so long to get going this series after game one, as this was easily his best game since then. Two assists, and could have had another in the third, setting up Makar for a great chance in the slot. It just was a little too late. Had a whopping TEN shots blocked. Vegas suffocated him, but tonight, he looked more like the Nate we know.

Cale Makar – C-

Tried to do way too much in the third on a breakout, which forced the Avs to get stuck in their own zone. The next face-off, Vegas scored. This was after missing high on his great chance in the slot. Great in game one, but faded pretty badly the rest of the series. Did have a series of great defensive plays in the second period, though.

Patrik Nemeth – D

I went most of the game without noticing him…and then he makes a massive mistake with the puck, and it all goes to hell. The amount of goals scored right after a turnover by him this series was alarmingly high. No way you can bring him back.

Alex Newhook – C-

I liked him, for the most part, when he was out there…but he was just never out there. He was out for a few goals against, in fact, blocked the shot on the fifth Vegas goal, but it still managed to dribble through. Next year they’re going to have to give him a chance.

Valeri Nichushkin – B

If only this man could finish. Great chances, played physical, took some big hits and came back, and overall played really well…but just couldn’t score to save his life. Had probably their best chance to tie it in the third and missed not one, but two great chances in front.

Logan O’Connor – F

After a great first game, got completely caved in and his point men played big roles in the first and third Vegas goals as he was not able to get in the lane on their shots.

Mikko Rantanen – B

Surprised he got away with so many cross-checks, but the power move to the middle is something you love to see from him on his goal. Got a little lucky, but you take it. Seemed to fumble the puck a lot, but he was really physical and played with energy. That line was not the reason they lost game six.

Brandon Saad – B

Is this how it ends with Saad? Brought in to help this team win a championship and definitely played his part, but you wonder if he gets squeezed out. Played another pretty solid game, and seems like a great fit in the locker room.

Conor Timmins – C

Maybe it’s because it’s an issue with all three of the bottom defensemen, but his lack of speed and separation is really glaring. Makes some nice plays with the puck, but always looks a little jumpy doing so. The finish to the season was a big step forward for him.

Devon Toews – B

Great reads on a few plays pinching in, which is what we saw a lot of this year. Unlike previous games, was able to get his shots through. Great goal, and I think he could have had another in the second period if he realized how much time he had to skate in on a play where he was left open.