DENVER (AP) 鈥� A Western Conference Final loaded with offensive firepower was ignited by the unlikeliest of sparkplugs.
Dylan Coghlan鈥檚 wrist shot under Scott Wedgewood鈥檚 legs ended a scoreless deadlock and helped the Vegas Golden Knights steal home ice from the top-seeded Colorado Avalanche with a 4-2 statement win Wednesday night at Ball Arena.
鈥淗onestly, I didn’t know it went in until I looked at Shea (Theodore) and he was just smiling at me,鈥� Coghlan said.
It was Coghlan鈥檚 first career NHL playoff goal, his fist score in the league in nearly five years and just his seventh net-finder of his career. Adding to his big night, the 28-year-old defenseman made a terrific breakup of a 3-on-2 breakaway that kept the Avalanche scuffling to find the net themselves.
鈥淵eah, so happy for him,鈥� winning goalie Carter Hart said. “He came in in the Anaheim series. I thought he did a tremendous job then. Stepped up tonight huge. That was a huge first goal for us tonight and I couldn’t be happier for the guy.”
Vegas forward Pavel Doroleyev praised Coghlan’s overall game, saying, 鈥淚t’s not just about his goal. He did a lot of things right, especially in D-zone, on breakouts.鈥�
But, that goal …
Coghlan hadn鈥檛 scored since Dec. 17, 2021, in a game against the New York Islanders, and half of his six career goals came on a hat trick in a 4-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild on March 10, 2021.
鈥淗e’s an easy guy to pull for,鈥� Golden Knights coach John Tortorella said.
Coghlan had 14 goals in 62 games this season for Henderson in the American Hockey League. He was scoreless in three regular-season games for Vegas.
鈥淲hen you say Dylan Coghlan to me, I think of no fear,鈥� Tortorella said. 鈥淚 think he鈥檚 one of our best defensemen since he鈥檚 been with us and in the lineup. … He鈥檚 a bit unflappable.鈥�
The Golden Knights stole home ice from the top-seeded Avalanche, who had won eight of nine games in these playoffs before their dud in the Western Conference Final opener.
Colorado defenseman missed Game 1 with an upper-body injury. Makar left the ice holding his right arm following a collision late in last week but returned as Colorado won the game in overtime.
Makar鈥檚 absence proved a big blow for the Avalanche. This is the first time Makar has missed a playoff game for the Avalanche with an injury. The Norris Trophy finalist has four goals and an assist while averaging nearly 25 minutes of ice time through the opening two rounds. Makar also is an integral part of Colorado鈥檚 special teams, which surrendered a power play goal to Doroleyev in the second period.
Colorado tried some different combinations without Makar. It led to some confusion, with Coghlan sneaking into the middle of the ice and lining a shot through the pads of Wedgewood to break a scoreless game in the second period.
鈥淭here鈥檚 definitely a trickle-down effect to that,鈥� Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said of not having Makar. 鈥淏ut he鈥檚 not playing. We have find a way.鈥�
Coghlan has bounced around over his career, spending his first two seasons with Vegas before stints with Carolina and Winnipeg. He returned to the Golden Knights last July in part, he said, because of the bonds he鈥檇 formed.
鈥淭his is probably the best I鈥檝e felt in my whole career,鈥� Coghlan said. 鈥淲hoever it is I鈥檓 playing with I鈥檓 very comfortable out there with them. They make it pretty easy on me. We have some pretty world-class players.鈥�
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AP Sports Writer Pat Graham and AP free-lancer Ashlyn Stapleton contributed to this report.
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