A pair of third-period goals 26 seconds apart gave the Avalanche their first lead of the game Saturday in Vegas.

Colorado made the 3-2 advantage stretch for its second win in Vegas in 10 days – both of which came on the second night of a back-to-back.

J.T. Compher first redirected in a shot by Jack Johnson then Cale Makar set up Nathan MacKinnon for a shot that went past lunging Vegas goaltender Laurent Brossoit (18 saves).

The score didn’t budge from 2-1 Golden Knights for more than a period and a half, but the Avalanche didn’t need long to change it up.

“Games are on the line. Kind of drags the urgency out in our team and we can play in the way we want to play the whole game,” coach Jared Bednar said with a chuckle.

Colorado’s Andre Burakovsky tied the game at 1 in the first period. Samuel Girard teed up Alex Newhook, but he had to settle the puck. Newhook passed it along to his right, where Burakovsky also readjusted. He tucked it inside the near post.

It was Burakovsky’s second goal in 24 hours. He ended a 17-game goal drought in the third period of Friday’s 6-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets.

“He’s finding his scoring touch again,” MacKinnon said. “He can get really hot when he gets going.”

MacKinnon was busy during the back-to-back games as well, scoring twice Friday night on 14 shots on goal. He buried his only shot on net Saturday.

“I take shots when I can and when they’re not available, I try to make plays,” MacKinnon said. “Obviously they’re a really good defensive team, so it’s not always easy to get 14 shots.

“But doing my best.”

Makar has at least an assist in eight straight games. He has 12 during that span.

Vegas sits third, barely, in the Pacific Division with two teams right behind in the standings. The Golden Knights went up 4:07 into the game, when Jack Eichel sent Chandler Stephenson in on a breakaway.

Devon Toews had his pocket picked in front of the Vegas bench, which led to a 2-on-1 the other direction. Jonathan Marchessault took the pass from Reilly Smith and scored.

Later Toews’ quick reaction kept the Avalanche out of a 3-1 hole. The puck got through goaltender Darcy Kuemper at an angle and Toews swept it out of the crease.

Kuemper made 34 saves in the win.

“I liked all of the guys in our lineup tonight,” Bednar said. “I thought they played hard.”

That did not include forward Tyson Jost, who took the place of Nicolas Aube-Kubel and served as the healthy scratch.

“The Jost decision – just, you know, me setting the lineup,” Bednar said. “We’ve got one extra guy here right now. Just trying to pick the lineup that I think’s the best for that given night.”

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