NHL: Reilly Smith's late goal lifts Golden Knights past Stars

Reilly Smith scored the go-ahead goal with 3:38 remaining, helping the Vegas Golden Knights snap a three-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars on Sunday night.

Smith, who had been a healthy scratch for the previous five games, redirected a rebound from Mitch Marner’s shot from the right side of the crease into the top right corner for the game-winner.

Brayden McNabb and Ivan Barbashev also scored for Vegas, while Adin Hill made 13 saves. With the win, the Golden Knights (32-25-14, 78 points) leapfrogged idle Edmonton into second place in the Pacific Division.

Wyatt Johnston set a franchise single-season record with his 23rd power-play goal, and Justin Hryckowian also scored for Dallas (43-16-11, 97 points). The Stars suffered just their second regulation loss in the last 19 games (15-2-2), while Casey DeSmith made 30 saves. Dallas’ four-game winning streak against Vegas was snapped.

Vegas took a 1-0 lead early in the first period when McNabb raced end-to-end up the ice and flipped a wrist shot past DeSmith’s glove side. Dallas tied it midway through the period on Johnston’s power-play goal, a one-timer from the slot off a Matt Duchene pass. Johnston broke the franchise single-season record previously set by Dino Ciccarelli in 1986-87 with the Minnesota North Stars.

The Stars went ahead 2-1 near the end of the period when Hryckowian converted a rebound off a Colin Blackwell shot around Hill’s right pad. Vegas tied it midway through the second period on Barbashev’s power-play goal, who roofed a tight-angle shot from just above the right goal line over DeSmith’s glove, setting the stage for Smith’s decisive goal.

Vegas finished with a 33-15 edge in shots on goal and held the Stars without a shot over the final 14:46 of the second period. The Golden Knights also killed off a four-minute power play when Jack Eichel was penalized for high-sticking Mavrik Bourque.

-Field Level Media/Reuters