Colorado AvalancheCOL 6–5 Final/SO Vegas Golden KnightsVGK

Saturday, December 27, 2025

Final/SO 1st2nd3rdOTSO T SOG
Colorado AvalancheCOL 02302 6 39
Vegas Golden KnightsVGK 13101 5 25

No impact calculated for this game. Impacts are calculated for games in the next 7 days.

Highlights

Scoring

1st Period
2:43 VGK Alexander Holtz (1) Noah Hanifin (10), Tomas Hertl (14) · tip-in xG 0.08 0–1 ▶
2nd Period
0:34 VGK Ivan Barbashev (12) Mitch Marner (30) · wrist xG 0.19 0–2 ▶
5:19 COL Samuel Girard (3) Sam Malinski (16), Valeri Nichushkin (14) · wrist xG 0.04 1–2 ▶
10:27 COL Martin Necas (17) Sam Malinski (17), Samuel Girard (7) · wrist xG 0.05 2–2 ▶
11:36 VGK Ben Hutton (5) Alexander Holtz (1), Noah Hanifin (11) · slap xG 0.10 2–3 ▶
12:05 VGK Brett Howden (7) Reilly Smith (5), Jeremy Lauzon (5) · tip-in xG 0.07 2–4 ▶
3rd Period
3:52 COL Martin Necas (18) Nathan MacKinnon (32) · wrist xG 0.04 3–4 ▶
8:21 COL Nathan MacKinnon (31) Sam Malinski (18), Gabriel Landeskog (13) · wrist xG 0.45 4–4 ▶
16:00 VGK Colton Sissons (3) Keegan Kolesar (6), Kaedan Korczak (6) · backhand xG 0.18 4–5 ▶
18:03 COL Artturi Lehkonen (14) Nathan MacKinnon (33), Brock Nelson (12) · snap xG 0.20 5–5 ▶
Overtime
No scoring
Shootout
COL Ross Colton vs Carter Hart Saved
VGK Pavel Dorofeyev vs Scott Wedgewood Missed
COL Martin Necas vs Carter Hart Goal
VGK Mitch Marner vs Scott Wedgewood Goal
COL Valeri Nichushkin vs Carter Hart Saved
VGK Reilly Smith vs Scott Wedgewood Saved
COL Nathan MacKinnon vs Carter Hart Goal
VGK Alexander Holtz vs Scott Wedgewood Missed

Score away–home after each goal; season totals in parentheses.

Shot quality

Expected goals (xG) rate every unblocked shot by how often shots like it go in, from where it was taken, the shot type, the strength and what happened just before it. How it works

COL 66%Deserve to win34% VGK
COLVGK
4.42Expected goals3.32
5Goals (no shootout)5
3.39Expected goals, 5 on 52.27
100Shot attempts46
71Unblocked attempts38
39Shots on goal25

Game notes

What stood out as the game went on, from the play-by-play and the shifts. Time on the bench is counted in 5-on-5 play outside the penalty box; the note says the player sat, not why. Goals saved are against the shots' expected goals (xG).

2nd Period
11:10 VGK Deserve to win Deserve to win · VGK takes the lead, 61–39%
COL had led since 6:31 of the 2nd, by as much as 61%
3rd Period
4:20 COL No shift No shift · Kelly, 10:22 on the bench
No shift from 14:20 of the 2nd to 4:42 of the 3rd; 10 shifts (5:55) before that
4:20 COL No shift No shift · Kiviranta, 10:27 on the bench
No shift from 14:15 of the 2nd to 4:42 of the 3rd; 8 shifts (5:09) before that
8:21 COL Deserve to win Deserve to win · COL takes the lead, 62–38%
VGK had led since 11:10 of the 2nd, by as much as 67%
17:13 COL Pulled goalie Pulled goalie · Pulled Wedgewood, down 5–4
With 2:47 left; COL scored at 18:03 of the 3rd (5–5)

Shot map

COL shoots ←Bigger circle: higher xG; filled: goal→ VGK shoots
Valeri Nichushkin: wrist, 28 ft, xG 0.09 (P1 1:01) Noah Hanifin: wrist, 37 ft, xG 0.01 (P1 2:33) Keegan Kolesar: wrist, 69 ft, xG 0.01 (P1 2:37) Brock Nelson: wrist, 43 ft, xG 0.03 (P1 3:44) Ben Hutton: snap, 35 ft, xG 0.10 (P1 4:36) Victor Olofsson: snap, 35 ft, xG 0.03 (P1 5:02) Jack Drury: wrist, 35 ft, xG 0.05 (P1 5:17) Artturi Lehkonen: tip-in, 47 ft, xG 0.01 (P1 7:05) Samuel Girard: wrist, 141 ft, xG 0.00 (P1 8:04) Devon Toews: wrist, 51 ft, xG 0.02 (P1 9:14) Valeri Nichushkin: deflected, 6 ft, xG 0.04 (P1 9:14) Brock Nelson: backhand, 6 ft, xG 0.05 (P1 9:15) Nathan MacKinnon: wrist, 22 ft, xG 0.08 (P1 10:03) Ben Hutton: snap, 61 ft, xG 0.02 (P1 10:30) Parker Kelly: tip-in, 25 ft, xG 0.04 (P1 10:53) Mitch Marner: wrist, 24 ft, xG 0.08 (P1 11:33) Pavel Dorofeyev: snap, 30 ft, xG 0.09 (P1 12:02) Alexander Holtz: backhand, 6 ft, xG 0.07 (P1 13:04) Brett Howden: snap, 25 ft, xG 0.14 (P1 13:13) Artturi Lehkonen: wrist, 65 ft, xG 0.00 (P1 13:19) Nathan MacKinnon: backhand, 25 ft, xG 0.01 (P1 17:19) Ross Colton: wrist, 39 ft, xG 0.02 (P1 18:38) Ross Colton: wrist, 57 ft, xG 0.01 (P1 18:52) Artturi Lehkonen: deflected, 8 ft, xG 0.10 (P1 19:58) Valeri Nichushkin: tip-in, 15 ft, xG 0.08 (P2 1:09) Artturi Lehkonen: wrist, 8 ft, xG 0.30 (P2 1:11) Zach Whitecloud: wrist, 57 ft, xG 0.02 (P2 1:30) Parker Kelly: slap, 67 ft, xG 0.02 (P2 1:50) Samuel Girard: wrist, 70 ft, xG 0.01 (P2 2:00) Nathan MacKinnon: wrist, 52 ft, xG 0.01 (P2 3:31) Gabriel Landeskog: wrist, 32 ft, xG 0.02 (P2 4:16) Valeri Nichushkin: tip-in, 21 ft, xG 0.06 (P2 5:06) Noah Hanifin: slap, 69 ft, xG 0.01 (P2 5:36) Devon Toews: snap, 30 ft, xG 0.10 (P2 6:31) Ivan Barbashev: wrist, 98 ft, xG 0.00 (P2 6:37) Valeri Nichushkin: slap, 58 ft, xG 0.03 (P2 7:28) Tomas Hertl: wrist, 50 ft, xG 0.02 (P2 8:16) Braeden Bowman: tip-in, 6 ft, xG 0.15 (P2 8:38) Braeden Bowman: wrist, 4 ft, xG 0.08 (P2 8:39) Braeden Bowman: backhand, 5 ft, xG 0.06 (P2 8:39) Devon Toews: wrist, 63 ft, xG 0.01 (P2 9:03) Brandon Saad: wrist, 22 ft, xG 0.08 (P2 9:33) Colton Sissons: wrist, 7 ft, xG 0.43 (P2 9:36) Reilly Smith: snap, 36 ft, xG 0.06 (P2 10:48) Pavel Dorofeyev: wrist, 13 ft, xG 0.06 (P2 11:10) Tomas Hertl: snap, 10 ft, xG 0.10 (P2 11:16) Ben Hutton: snap, 60 ft, xG 0.03 (P2 11:28) Nathan MacKinnon: backhand, 6 ft, xG 0.06 (P2 12:43) Nathan MacKinnon: slap, 29 ft, xG 0.13 (P2 14:55) Nathan MacKinnon: tip-in, 10 ft, xG 0.08 (P2 15:34) Martin Necas: slap, 26 ft, xG 0.12 (P2 15:41) Valeri Nichushkin: snap, 29 ft, xG 0.04 (P2 16:17) Artturi Lehkonen: wrist, 19 ft, xG 0.07 (P2 16:19) Valeri Nichushkin: wrist, 19 ft, xG 0.03 (P2 17:21) Ross Colton: snap, 31 ft, xG 0.07 (P2 18:49) Martin Necas: snap, 28 ft, xG 0.11 (P2 19:52) Brayden McNabb: wrist, 56 ft, xG 0.01 (P3 0:12) Mitch Marner: wrist, 34 ft, xG 0.04 (P3 0:33) Ivan Barbashev: tip-in, 8 ft, xG 0.10 (P3 0:39) Brock Nelson: tip-in, 23 ft, xG 0.05 (P3 1:52) Brock Nelson: slap, 32 ft, xG 0.11 (P3 1:59) Sam Malinski: wrist, 50 ft, xG 0.02 (P3 2:03) Sam Malinski: wrist, 63 ft, xG 0.02 (P3 2:27) Sam Malinski: slap, 60 ft, xG 0.02 (P3 2:41) Sam Malinski: snap, 35 ft, xG 0.04 (P3 2:56) Braeden Bowman: wrist, 10 ft, xG 0.15 (P3 3:43) Cale Makar: wrist, 57 ft, xG 0.00 (P3 5:09) Nathan MacKinnon: snap, 21 ft, xG 0.13 (P3 5:11) Nathan MacKinnon: backhand, 9 ft, xG 0.11 (P3 5:16) Gabriel Landeskog: backhand, 7 ft, xG 0.04 (P3 5:17) Nathan MacKinnon: wrap-around, 6 ft, xG 0.03 (P3 5:19) Valeri Nichushkin: wrist, 70 ft, xG 0.01 (P3 6:02) Pavel Dorofeyev: wrist, 43 ft, xG 0.04 (P3 6:34) Colton Sissons: wrist, 41 ft, xG 0.01 (P3 8:37) Devon Toews: wrist, 60 ft, xG 0.02 (P3 9:12) Jack Drury: wrist, 6 ft, xG 0.06 (P3 9:13) Cale Makar: wrist, 37 ft, xG 0.06 (P3 9:20) Valeri Nichushkin: wrist, 25 ft, xG 0.03 (P3 9:48) Tomas Hertl: wrist, 37 ft, xG 0.06 (P3 10:02) Valeri Nichushkin: snap, 46 ft, xG 0.01 (P3 11:17) Braeden Bowman: wrist, 7 ft, xG 0.19 (P3 11:47) Braeden Bowman: wrist, 4 ft, xG 0.36 (P3 11:49) Noah Hanifin: wrist, 63 ft, xG 0.02 (P3 11:55) Mark Stone: wrist, 34 ft, xG 0.06 (P3 12:15) Brett Howden: snap, 57 ft, xG 0.04 (P3 13:56) Brock Nelson: bat, 25 ft, xG 0.05 (P3 16:31) Brock Nelson: tip-in, 22 ft, xG 0.04 (P3 16:37) Gabriel Landeskog: wrist, 34 ft, xG 0.02 (P3 16:59) Sam Malinski: wrist, 59 ft, xG 0.01 (P3 17:12) Martin Necas: slap, 45 ft, xG 0.03 (P3 17:30) Jack Drury: wrist, 45 ft, xG 0.01 (P3 18:21) Nathan MacKinnon: snap, 68 ft, xG 0.01 (P3 18:58) Gabriel Landeskog: wrist, 58 ft, xG 0.03 (P3 19:08) Nathan MacKinnon: snap, 16 ft, xG 0.24 (OT 1:13) Artturi Lehkonen: wrist, 11 ft, xG 0.18 (OT 3:15) Brock Nelson: slap, 37 ft, xG 0.12 (OT 3:50) Nathan MacKinnon: slap, 39 ft, xG 0.11 (OT 4:23) Devon Toews: snap, 35 ft, xG 0.06 (OT 4:27) Gabriel Landeskog: snap, 39 ft, xG 0.06 (OT 4:37) Alexander Holtz: GOAL, tip-in, 6 ft, xG 0.08 (P1 2:43) Ivan Barbashev: GOAL, wrist, 8 ft, xG 0.19 (P2 0:34) Samuel Girard: GOAL, wrist, 33 ft, xG 0.04 (P2 5:19) Martin Necas: GOAL, wrist, 40 ft, xG 0.05 (P2 10:27) Ben Hutton: GOAL, slap, 42 ft, xG 0.10 (P2 11:36) Brett Howden: GOAL, tip-in, 15 ft, xG 0.07 (P2 12:05) Martin Necas: GOAL, wrist, 40 ft, xG 0.04 (P3 3:52) Nathan MacKinnon: GOAL, wrist, 2 ft, xG 0.45 (P3 8:21) Colton Sissons: GOAL, backhand, 6 ft, xG 0.18 (P3 16:00) Artturi Lehkonen: GOAL, snap, 20 ft, xG 0.20 (P3 18:03)
About these numbers

xG comes from hockeystats.io's own model, a gradient-boosted tree model trained on every unblocked shot from the 2021-22 to 2025-26 regular seasons using the NHL's public play-by-play. Each shot's value is the share of similar shots that became goals. A team's xG is the sum over its shots; "deserve to win" asks how often the team would outscore its opponent if every shot went in at exactly that rate. Blocked shots count as attempts but have no xG (the NHL records where they were blocked, not where they were taken), so the map leaves them out.

Box score

Colorado Avalanche

Skater GAP+/− AttxG HitBlkTOI
Forwards
29 Nathan MacKinnon 123 +2 171.45 1025:28
11 Brock Nelson 011 0 100.44 0123:52
88 Martin Necas 202 +3 60.35 1021:09
62 Artturi Lehkonen 101 +1 70.86 0020:36
92 Gabriel Landeskog 011 +2 50.17 1120:04
43 Valeri Nichushkin 011 -1 100.42 0020:03
95 Victor Olofsson 000 0 10.03 1011:40
18 Jack Drury 000 -2 30.12 1111:38
79 Ross Colton 000 +1 30.10 2009:51
17 Parker Kelly 000 -2 20.05 1009:01
54 Gavin Brindley 000 0 00.00 1108:14
22 Joel Kiviranta 000 -2 00.00 1005:34
Defense
7 Devon Toews 000 -1 110.21 0125:39
8 Cale Makar 000 0 70.06 1124:39
70 Sam Malinski 033 +3 100.11 0119:11
42 Josh Manson 000 -1 20.00 4118:37
84 Brent Burns 000 -3 10.00 1017:53
49 Samuel Girard 112 +1 50.05 0016:41
Goalie SAGA SVSV% xGA GSAx
Scott Wedgewood 25520 .800 3.32 -1.68

Vegas Golden Knights

Skater GAP+/− AttxG HitBlkTOI
Forwards
61 Mark Stone 000 -1 20.06 0021:31
93 Mitch Marner 011 -1 20.12 0220:44
16 Pavel Dorofeyev 000 +1 40.20 0020:21
48 Tomas Hertl 011 +1 50.18 2020:21
10 Alexander Holtz 112 +1 20.15 0218:55
21 Brett Howden 101 -1 30.24 1116:29
49 Ivan Barbashev 101 0 30.28 4016:11
42 Braeden Bowman 000 0 60.99 0012:43
19 Reilly Smith 011 0 10.06 0012:38
15 Colton Sissons 101 0 30.62 1311:37
20 Brandon Saad 000 0 10.08 1111:14
55 Keegan Kolesar 011 0 10.01 3310:50
Defense
15 Noah Hanifin 022 +2 30.04 0226:01
6 Kaedan Korczak 011 -2 00.00 2123:13
3 Brayden McNabb 000 -2 20.01 3621:21
17 Ben Hutton 101 +2 40.25 0320:51
5 Jeremy Lauzon 011 0 00.00 2114:13
28 Zach Whitecloud 000 0 40.02 2213:47
Goalie SAGA SVSV% xGA GSAx
Carter Hart 39534 .872 4.42 -0.58

Skaters by time on ice. Goalie lines count shots with the goalie in net, from the NHL play-by-play.

Player ratings

What each player added to the result, in goals, from most to least. Hover a number for what it's made of.

Colorado Avalanche

Player Rating Points Shots On ice Pen FO Other GSAx TOI
70 Sam Malinski D +4.29 +2.10 +0.07 +2.09 0.00 0.00 +0.03 — 19:11
29 Nathan MacKinnon C +4.12 +2.15 +0.94 +1.05 0.00 +0.04 -0.06 — 25:28
49 Samuel Girard D +2.72 +1.30 +0.03 +1.41 0.00 0.00 -0.02 — 16:41
88 Martin Necas C +2.58 +1.50 +0.22 +0.89 0.00 0.00 -0.04 — 21:09
62 Artturi Lehkonen L +2.53 +0.75 +0.56 +1.23 0.00 +0.01 -0.02 — 20:36
11 Brock Nelson C +2.11 +0.55 +0.29 +1.16 +0.15 -0.08 +0.05 — 23:52
13 Valeri Nichushkin R +1.66 +0.55 +0.27 +0.82 0.00 0.00 +0.02 — 20:03
92 Gabriel Landeskog L +1.36 +0.55 +0.11 +0.58 0.00 +0.09 +0.03 — 20:04
7 Devon Toews D +0.07 0.00 +0.14 -0.12 0.00 0.00 +0.05 — 25:39
95 Victor Olofsson L -0.01 0.00 +0.02 -0.03 0.00 0.00 0.00 — 11:40
20 Ross Colton C -0.13 0.00 +0.07 -0.21 0.00 0.00 +0.02 — 9:51
42 Josh Manson D -0.25 0.00 0.00 -0.13 -0.15 0.00 +0.03 — 18:37
18 Jack Drury C -0.30 0.00 +0.08 -0.44 0.00 +0.01 +0.05 — 11:38
8 Cale Makar D -0.34 0.00 +0.04 -0.26 -0.15 0.00 +0.03 — 24:39
54 Gavin Brindley C -0.55 0.00 0.00 -0.59 0.00 -0.01 +0.05 — 8:14
17 Parker Kelly C -0.59 0.00 +0.04 -0.59 0.00 -0.02 -0.02 — 9:01
94 Joel Kiviranta L -0.62 0.00 0.00 -0.60 0.00 0.00 -0.02 — 5:34
84 Brent Burns D -0.79 0.00 0.00 -0.81 0.00 0.00 +0.02 — 17:53
41 Scott Wedgewood G -1.68 0.00 — — 0.00 — — -1.68 64:10

Vegas Golden Knights

Player Rating Points Shots On ice Pen FO Other GSAx TOI
15 Noah Hanifin D +1.53 +1.25 +0.02 +0.17 0.00 0.00 +0.08 — 26:01
21 Brett Howden C +1.34 +0.75 +0.16 +0.43 0.00 -0.03 +0.03 — 16:29
17 Ben Hutton D +1.21 +0.75 +0.16 +0.17 0.00 0.00 +0.13 — 20:51
19 Reilly Smith R +1.18 +0.70 +0.04 +0.46 0.00 0.00 -0.02 — 12:38
42 Braeden Bowman R +1.10 0.00 +0.65 +0.46 0.00 0.00 0.00 — 12:43
26 Alexander Holtz R +0.99 +1.45 +0.10 -0.60 0.00 -0.01 +0.06 — 18:55
10 Colton Sissons C +0.98 +0.75 +0.40 -0.34 0.00 +0.02 +0.15 — 11:37
55 Keegan Kolesar R +0.42 +0.70 +0.01 -0.44 0.00 0.00 +0.15 — 10:50
48 Tomas Hertl C +0.40 +0.55 +0.12 -0.45 +0.15 +0.05 -0.02 — 20:21
49 Ivan Barbashev L +0.36 +0.75 +0.18 -0.53 0.00 -0.02 -0.02 — 16:11
5 Jeremy Lauzon D +0.12 +0.55 0.00 -0.46 0.00 0.00 +0.03 — 14:13
93 Mitch Marner R +0.06 +0.70 +0.08 -0.73 0.00 -0.05 +0.06 — 20:44
6 Kaedan Korczak D -0.24 +0.55 0.00 -0.80 0.00 0.00 +0.01 — 23:13
20 Brandon Saad L -0.33 0.00 +0.05 -0.44 0.00 0.00 +0.05 — 11:14
61 Mark Stone R -0.43 0.00 +0.04 -0.49 0.00 0.00 +0.02 — 21:31
16 Pavel Dorofeyev R -0.45 0.00 +0.13 -0.58 0.00 0.00 0.00 — 20:21
2 Zach Whitecloud D -0.51 0.00 +0.01 -0.47 -0.15 0.00 +0.10 — 13:47
3 Brayden McNabb D -0.52 0.00 0.00 -0.80 0.00 0.00 +0.28 — 21:21
79 Carter Hart G -0.58 0.00 — — 0.00 — — -0.58 65:00

An expected-goals take on Dom Luszczyszyn's Game Score: goals and assists, the quality of a player's own shots, shot quality for and against while they were on the ice at 5v5, penalties, faceoffs and puck plays, all in goals; goalies by goals saved above expected. From the NHL play-by-play and shift charts.