In what has been a mixed second season for the Vegas Golden Knights, they finally found their scoring touch in a big way.
William Carrier netted the decisive goal after Ottawa had clawed back from a three-goal deficit, leading the Golden Knights to a 5-3 win over the Senators on Thursday night.
Vegas, which dazzled in its inaugural season by reaching the Stanley Cup Final, has hovered around .500 this season. However, this game marked the first time they scored more than three goals in regulation since Oct. 16, breaking a nine-game drought.
“We played a really good game,” said coach Gerard Gallant. “The puck finally went in the net for us, which was key to getting five goals. We’re happy with that.”
Jonathan Marchessault, Shea Theodore, Nick Holden, and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare also contributed goals for Vegas. Marc-Andre Fleury made 27 saves to secure the victory.
Matt Duchene, Ryan Dzingel, and Thomas Chabot scored for the Senators, who had trailed 3-0 late in the second period before rallying to tie the game in the third. Craig Anderson made 37 saves in the losing effort.
Ottawa, down 3-1 entering the third period, quickly tied the game with two goals in just over a minute. Dzingel scored at 6:57, and Chabot found the back of a wide-open net after Fleury was caught out of position.
Vegas responded almost immediately as Carrier won a battle along the boards, maneuvered around Mark Borowiecki, and beat Anderson stick-side to restore the lead.
After Anderson got tangled with Carrier, Bellemare sealed the game with a goal into an open net. The Senators challenged the play for goaltender interference, but the goal stood, much to the frustration of Ottawa coach Guy Boucher.
“I don’t know anymore,” Boucher said regarding the interference call. “I guess that’s why I’m not paid to make those decisions.”
Boucher acknowledged that the call was deflating for his team. “It’s human nature,” he said. “I was sure it was going to be goaltender interference, so when it wasn’t, it’s frustrating. If it was just one goal, maybe it would have been different.”
Vegas dominated the second period and extended their lead to 3-0 when Holden jumped into the play and roofed the puck over Anderson’s shoulder for his first goal with the Golden Knights.
Ottawa finally got on the board 29 seconds later when Fleury poke-checked the puck straight to Duchene, who capitalized on the opportunity.
“We did some good things,” Duchene said. “Tying it 3-3 in the third could have gone either way. We had the momentum, so it’s a tough way to lose.”
Earlier in the game, Borowiecki dropped the gloves with Ryan Reaves after a series of high hits on Vegas players.
“Good on him for answering the bell,” Reaves said. “Not many guys will do that, but he did.”
The Golden Knights opened the scoring with two power-play goals in the first period. Marchessault struck first, and with 20 seconds left in the period, Theodore fired a shot through traffic to give Vegas a 2-0 lead.
Game Notes:
Senators rookie Brady Tkachuk returned after missing nine games with a torn ligament in his leg but was held without a point for the first time since his debut. Ottawa’s Max McCormick was a healthy scratch. Vegas played without Erik Haula, who was injured against Toronto on Tuesday.
Up Next:
- Golden Knights: Continue their road trip in Montreal on Saturday.
- Senators: Visit Tampa Bay on Saturday in the first of back-to-back games in Florida.