NHL: Short-handed, double-OT tally give Knights 3-2 edge on Mammoth

Brett Howden scored a short-handed goal at 5:28 of the second overtime as the Vegas Golden Knights moved within one win of advancing, taking a 3-2 lead in their Western Conference first-round playoff series with a 5-4 victory over the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday in Las Vegas.

Howden won a puck battle with Alexander Kerfoot in the right corner, carried it into the right circle, and fired a wrist shot into the top far corner past Utah goaltender Karel Vejmelka for the game-winner.

“It was a crazy game,” Howden said. “A lot of back and forth. They have a lot of speed, a lot of skill. We’re obviously super happy just to get the job done.”

Pavel Dorofeyev led Vegas with a hat trick, including a 6-on-5 goal with 52.7 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime.

“I was so fired up,” Dorofeyev said of the tying goal. “Good things happen when you go to the blue paint.”

Shea Theodore added a goal and an assist, while Jack Eichel contributed two assists for the Golden Knights, who can clinch the best-of-seven series with a Game 6 win on Friday in Salt Lake City. Goaltender Carter Hart made 34 saves.

For Utah, John Marino, Lawson Crouse, Dylan Guenther and Michael Carcone each scored, while Clayton Keller recorded two assists. Vejmelka finished with 31 saves.

Crouse said the focus now shifts to protecting home ice in the next game.

“Win one at home. I think that’s our focus,” Crouse said. “We battled hard. Obviously, it sucked giving up that goal late in the third for them to tie it, but we pushed. We never stopped working. An unfortunate ending, but like I said, we’ve got to go win one at home.”

Vegas pulled Hart for an extra attacker with 1:40 left in regulation. Dorofeyev later tied the game when he buried a rebound off a Reilly Smith shot from in front of the net, sending the contest into overtime.

“Yeah, it feels great obviously,” Dorofeyev said of his hat trick. “(Found) a way to help the team. Put some pucks on net, and found the back of the net.”

Utah opened the scoring at 17:11 of the first period on Marino’s first career playoff goal.

Vegas responded late in the period with a power-play goal from Dorofeyev, snapping a shot from the right circle under Vejmelka’s left arm to end an 0-for-13 slump on the power play.

The Mammoth regained the lead midway through the second period when Keller set up Crouse for a wrist shot from the top of the right circle.

The Golden Knights answered quickly with goals from Dorofeyev and Theodore in a span of 1:40 late in the second period to take a 3-2 lead.

Guenther tied the game at 3-3 at 5:54 of the third period, finishing an odd-man rush with Kailer Yamamoto.

Carcone restored Utah’s lead at 12:42 of the third, converting a one-timer off a Kerfoot pass following a turnover by Eichel in the offensive zone.

Vegas ultimately prevailed in the marathon contest, capitalizing in double overtime to move one win away from advancing. -Field Level Media/Reuters