Jonathan Marchessault's Hat Trick Powers Golden Knights Past Avalanche in Game 4

Jonathan Marchessault's hat trick propelled the Vegas Golden Knights to a 5-1 win over the visiting Colorado Avalanche on Sunday at T-Mobile Arena in Game 4 of their second-round playoff series.

Marchessault scored a goal in each period to help Vegas tie Colorado at two games apiece in the best-of-seven matchup.

William Karlsson assisted on all three Marchessault tallies. Max Pacioretty and Patrick Brown scored the Golden Knights' other goals.

Colorado's Brandon Saad opened the scoring with a goal at 1:50 of the first period. Marchessault answered at 7:07 of the first, and the two teams went into intermission tied at one.

Pacioretty netted the game-winner in the second period, and Marchessault added one more for the 3-1 edge going into the second intermission.

Marchessault's final goal arrived at 6:01 of the third period. Patrick Brown scored the final tally for Vegas, who outshot Colorado 35-18.

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Notable Performances

Golden Knights C Jonathan Marchessault: 3 G, 7 SOG

Golden Knights LW Max Pacioretty: 1 G, 3 SOG

Golden Knights C William Karlsson: 3 A, 3 SOG

Avalanche LW Brandon Saad: 1 G, 2 SOG

Avalanche C J.T. Compher: 1 A, 3 SOG

Avalanche C Nathan MacKinnon: 3 SOG

    

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Marchessault, Pacioretty Deliver Once Again

The first two games of this series couldn't have gone much worse for the Golden Knights, who fell 7-1 in the opener before dropping a heartbreaking Game 2 in overtime.

However, everything has come up aces for the Golden Knights in the past 66 minutes of ice time, with Marchessault taking center stage.

The 30-year-old scored a game-tying goal with 5:18 left in the third period before Pacioretty netted the game-winner for a 3-2 win in Game 3, cutting the series deficit in half.

Saad may have gotten the Avalanche on the right track Sunday, but it was all Marchessault, Pacioretty and the Golden Knights from that point forward.

Marchessault managed to sneak the puck past Avs goaltender Phillip Grubauer for his first goal:

Pacioretty then took care of business himself after this wrist shot from the outer edge of the faceoff circle:

He's been hot of late, as the NHL Public Relations team noted:

That left faceoff circle was a good spot for Vegas, as Marchessault fired a one-timer into the net for his second goal:

Marchessault found himself in the right place at the right time for his final tally when he took a pinpoint pass through traffic from Reilly Smith to complete the hat trick.

The playoff hat trick was Marchessault's first, but it wasn't unprecedented in Vegas' four-year history:

Marchessault has made scoring timely goals a habit, which Justin Emerson of the Las Vegas Sun noted:

That's just what Vegas needed.

Thanks largely to Marchessault and Pacioretty, the series between the powerhouses is tied at two, although Vegas has all the momentum.

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Avs' Top Line Can't Get Going Again

Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen combined for zero goals and five shots on net Sunday.

The Avs' top line has been sensational this year en route to leading its team to the Presidents' Trophy, recording a combined 70 goals and 113 assists. Colorado was No. 1 in goals scored this season, thanks in part to their efforts.

But the top line has been relatively quiet for three games now. Rantanen did score goals in Games 2 and 3, but MacKinnon and Landeskog only have one assist each over the past three matchups.

The line has particularly struggled in even-strength situations, which Peter Baugh of The Athletic pointed out:

Ryan O'Halloran of the Denver Post has an idea on how to fix the issue, which largely stems from the excellent defensive work done by Vegas' top line.

"It won’t matter in Game 5 on home ice (Avs have final change), but through double-shifting MacKinnon-Landeskog-Rantanen, [head coach Jared] Bednar needs to keep them away from the Stephenson line when the series moves back to Vegas for Game 6," O'Halloran wrote.

Perhaps that's the answer for Bednar, but something needs to change after a Game 4 dud that has tied this series at two.

The Avs still have home-ice advantage in this series, which returns to Denver for Game 5. Colorado is 26-4-2 (including playoffs) in 32 games at Ball Arena, including 4-0 in this postseason.

Colorado needs the top line to produce, though, or else Vegas could steal Game 5 before closing this series at home.

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What's Next?

Colorado will host Game 5 on Tuesday at 9 p.m. in Ball Arena.