LIVE BLOG: Golden Knights rally from 3-goal hole, beat Avalanche in Game 3

The Vegas Golden Knights can move one step closer to playing for the Stanley Cup when they host the Colorado Avalanche in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final on Sunday at T-Mobile Arena.

The Knights lead the best-of-seven series 2-0 after sweeping both games in Colorado.

Check back for live updates.

Knights rally, take 3-0 series lead

Brett Howden hits the empty net with 57.9 seconds left to put the finishing touches on a 5-3 Golden Knights victory.

The Knights rallied from a 3-0 deficit in the first period. They were 0-19 when trailing by three or more goals in the playoffs.

The Knights have the Colorado Avalanche in a 3-0 hole in the Western Conference Final and can finish off the sweep Tuesday.

Hertl puts Knights in front

What a goal by Tomas Hertl.

The Golden Knights came through the neutral zone with speed, Hertl danced around Colorado defenseman Sam Malinski and then beat Avalanche goalie Scott Wedgewood with a backhander.

The Knights have come all the way back with four unanswered goals and lead 4-3 with 11:39 remaining in the third period.

MacKinnon returns, leaves

Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon gave it a go, but it doesn’t look like he’s going to be able to continue after getting dropped by that shot in the second period.

This is starting to become a battle of attrition. Cole Smith headed to the Golden Knights locker room and appeared to be favoring his left arm.

The Golden Knights and Avalanche are tied 3-3 with 13:31 remaining in the third period.

3rd period begins

The Golden Knights and Avalanche are underway in the 3rd period. Nathan MacKinnon is not on the Colorado bench to start the period.

End of the 2nd

What a period for the Golden Knights, who responded with three unanswered to ignite T-Mobile Arena and tied the score at 3.

Mark Stone, William Karlsson and Keegan Kolesar with the goals for the Knights.

Avalanche without MacKinnon

Colorado center Nathan MacKinnon headed to the locker room and his status for the remainder of Game 3 is up in the air.

MacKinnon blocked a shot earlier in the period and hobbled off the ice. He tried to take two more shift but the first lasted 32 seconds and the second was 16 seconds before he headed off.

Knights with three unanswered goals

Keegan Kolesar redirects the shot by Dylan Coghlan past Avalanche goalie Scott Wedgewood and we’re tied 3-3 with 7:14 remaining in the second period. It’s the first goal of the playoffs for Kolesar.

What a response by the Golden Knights in this middle period.

Stars in attendance

Knights back in the game

The Golden Knights must have had a talk in the locker room because they are flying to start the second period.

Avalanche goalie Scott Wedgewood gives up a long rebound and William Karlsson swats it home at 4:05 of the period.

The Knights now trail 3-2 and it’s game on. T-Mobile is alive and the Knights found their legs.

Knights score quickly in 2nd period

The second period is just 19 seconds old and the Golden Knights are on the board.

The captain, Mark Stone, parks on the doorstep and redirects the pass from Mitch Marner on the power play. The Knights trail 3-1.

NHL explains why Golden Knights goal was disallowed

Here is the official explanation from the NHL Situation Room on why Pavel Dorofeyev’s goal was disallowed in the 1st period:

Type of Review: Batted Puck

Result: Call on the ice is upheld – No Goal Vegas

Explanation: Video review determined Vegas’ Pavel Dorofeyev used his hand to bat the puck, which caused the puck to illegally enter the Colorado net. According to Rule 67.6, “A goal cannot be scored by an attacking player who bats or directs the puck with his hand into the net. A goal cannot be scored by an attacking player who bats or directs the puck and it is deflected into the net off any player, goalkeeper or official.”

End of the 1st period

Not much went right for the Golden Knights that period.

They trail the Avalanche 3-0. They had a goal disallowed. They were outshot 17-7.

Golden Knights fall further behind

Just 41 seconds after Pavel Dorofeyev’s goal was disallowed, the Avalanche increase their lead to 3-0.

Jack Drury pounced on a loose puck in the neutral zone and beat Carter Hart on a breakaway for a short-handed goal with 6:45 remaining in the first period.

That is a huge gut-punch to the Golden Knights, who thought they had cut the lead in half and now trail by three.

The call stands

After video review, it’s no goal. Might have been knocked into the net by a high stick by Pavel Dorofeyev.

The Golden Knights still trail Colorado 2-0 with 7:26 remaining.

Once we get the official ruling from the NHL Situation Room, we’ll post it here.

No goal?

The Golden Knights think they’ve scored, but referee Garrett Rank waves it off.

Pavel Dorofeyev knocked the puck past Avalanche goalie Scott Wedgewood with 7:26 remaining in the first period. The question is whether he punched it into the net with his glove, which would be disallowed, or if he got it with his stick.

It’s being reviewed.

Knights head to PP

The Golden Knights were able to kill off the penalty to Cole Smith and get a power play of their own after Nazem Kadri went for high sticking against Jack Eichel.

The Avalanche lead 2-0 with 8:30 remaining in the first period.

Golden Knights on the PK

This is a suddenly a big moment for the Golden Knights, as Cole Smith takes another bad penalty and puts his team short-handed.

It’s 2-0 Avalanche with 10:29 remaining in the first period, and the Knights probably can’t afford to fall further behind.

Avalanche add to lead

Josh Manson springs Martin Necas with a long pass, and he finds Nazem Kadri, who buries the wrist shot from the slot at 7:03 of the first period.

Not a good start for the Golden Knights, who trail 2-0 and have been outshot 7-1 so far.

Avalanche take early lead

The Golden Knights must dig out of a hole after Colorado got the opening goal.

Defenseman Devon Toews got behind Knights’ d-man Noah Hanifin, who was forced to take him down. Carter Hart stopped the initial chance from Toews but Gabriel Landeskog is there to clean up the loose change.

The Avalanche lead 1-0 at 3:21 of the first period.

Game 3 is underway

The puck is down and the Golden Knights and Avalanche are ready for Game 3. It’s Carter Hart vs. Scott Wedgewood and the top lines for each team start.

Moment of silence

The Golden Knights held a moment of silence prior to Game 3 for Las Vegas native Kyle Busch, who died Thursday at 41.

Golden Knights lineup for Game 3

Avalanche lineup for Game 3

Makar likely in lineup

Colorado defenseman Cale Makar is expected to take warmups and be in the lineup for Game 3, according to the ESPN broadcast.

Makar missed the first two games of the series and would be a significant addition for Colorado, especially on the power play.

Stone to play in Game 3

Captain Mark Stone will return to the lineup for the Vegas Golden Knights for Game 3 of the Western Conference Final against the Colorado Avalanche, coach John Tortorella said Sunday.

Stone will make his first appearance since suffering a lower-body injury in Game 3 of the second round against Anaheim.

Torts and Crim

A man from Brandon, Manitoba, and another from Boston come together to try and save a hockey team’s season.

That sounds like an awful plot to a buddy cop movie.

Kelly McCrimmon and John Tortorella knew each other prior to March 29, the day the Vegas Golden Knights made the most shocking coaching change in recent NHL memory.

Fast forward nearly two months later, and this unlikely partnership is two wins away from going to the Stanley Cup Final together.

— Danny Webster

Eichel makes statement in Game 2

There was going to come a time at some point this series that Jack Eichel needed to make a statement.

Eichel picked the right time with his first goal in 11 games on Friday that tied Game 2 against the Colorado Avalanche midway through the third period.

It was the moment the Vegas Golden Knights needed in their 3-1 win at Ball Arena to carry a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Final back to Las Vegas with Game 3 at T-Mobile Arena at 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Series schedule

Game 1: Golden Knights 4, Avalanche 2

Game 2: Golden Knights 3, Avalanche 1

Game 3: Sunday, 5 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena (ESPN)

Game 4: Tuesday, 6 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena (ESPN)

*Game 5: Thursday, 5 p.m. at Ball Arena (ESPN)

*Game 6: May 30, 5 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena (ABC)

*Game 7: June 1, 5 p.m. at Ball Arena (ESPN)

*if necessary

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.