JOONAS DONSKOI

Max Pacioretty scored twice and the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Seattle Kraken 4-3 in a battle of the two newest teams in the NHL.

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski) (David Zalubowski)Jared Bednar was cleared to coach the Colorado Avalanche in Game 6 of their second-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights after missing the morning skate Thursday because of a COVID-19 testing irregularity. An Avalanche spokesman confirmed Bednar will be behind the bench in Las Vegas after the matter was resolved. Bednar was not at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Thursday morning because of the coronavirus testing snafu. We’re ready to go as a group and we’re excited for the challenge.”This is not the first time the NHL playoffs has gotten a virus testing scare. Vegas coach Peter DeBoer missed time earlier in the season while in league protocol.

The Colorado Avalanche will have their coach behind the bench when they face elimination against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Mark Stone scored on a breakaway 50 seconds into overtime as the Vegas Golden Knights overcame a two-goal deficit to beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 and take a 3-2 lead in their second-round playoff series.

Nathan MacKinnon finished his first career playoff hat trick with an empty-net goal to help the Colorado Avalanche pull away late for a 6-3 win over St. Louis in Game 2 after the Blues avoided a pregame virus scare that nearly sidelined several players.

Tyson Jost scored two of Colorado’s five second-period goals as the Avalanche clinched the West Division and the top overall seed in the NHL playoffs with a 5-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings.

Colorado Avalanche right wing Joonas Donskoi reacts after scoring a goal against the Arizona Coyotes in the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, march 31, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)DENVER – Joonas Donskoi scored three times during Colorado’s five-goal first period, and the Avalanche beat the Arizona Coyotes 9-3 on Wednesday night in front of home fans for the first time this season. To celebrate Donskoi’s accomplishment, fans tossed hats onto the ice — just like old times. Andre Burakovsky and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare also scored in a wild first period that included Arizona goals by Michael Bunting and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. AdGabriel Landeskog finished with two goals, Mikko Rantanen added another and Burakovsky scored his second with 3:11 remaining on an assist by Donskoi.