The Vegas Golden Knights snapped a two-game losing streak in overtime by securing a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night, kicking off their four-game road trip on a positive note.
Reilly Smith scored both goals for Vegas, and Marc-Andre Fleury made 29 saves to help the Golden Knights shake off the frustration from their recent losses, where they had squandered two-goal leads late in the third period.
“Those last two losses at home were tough, especially having the lead going into the third,” Fleury said. “Tonight, we were up by one, stuck with it, didn’t make mistakes, and hopefully we can build off that.”
Former Blue Jacket William Karlsson assisted on both of Smith’s goals, helping Vegas return to the win column after dropping three of their last four games.
“Even after we went up 2-1, we kept pushing,” said Golden Knights forward Paul Stastny. “In the last 10 minutes, they threw everything at us, but we did a good job keeping the puck to the outside, and Fleury made some key saves when we needed them.”
For Columbus, it was their fifth consecutive loss, as their offensive struggles continued. Despite several near misses and a shot off the bar from Dean Kukan in the third period, the Blue Jackets couldn’t find a way to equalize.
“We’re close, but close doesn’t win you games,” said Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella.
Smith’s first goal came with just 45 seconds left in the first period. His shot from behind the goal bounced off the handle of goalie Joonas Korpisalo’s stick and into the net. Columbus challenged, arguing that Jonathan Marchessault was offside when entering the zone, but the goal stood after a review.
Boone Jenner tied the game for Columbus early in the second period with a top-shelf shot from the left circle. However, just two minutes later, Smith scored a short-handed goal after a Columbus turnover led to an odd-man rush.
“It’s tough, but we’ve just got to keep pushing forward,” said Korpisalo, who made 23 saves. “I think we played well today but just came up short.”
For Vegas, the win provided a much-needed morale boost.
“It was good to see things go our way after a few tough losses,” Smith said. “It’s nice to start the road trip with a win like this.”
Game Notes:
- William Karlsson’s assists brought him to 200 points for his NHL career.
- The Swedish women’s national soccer team was in attendance, preparing for their upcoming friendly against the U.S. in Columbus.
- Fleury returned to the lineup after missing Saturday’s game due to illness.
- Columbus defenseman Markus Nutivaara returned to the lineup but left the game after being struck in the head with a puck and did not return.
- Columbus has now allowed four short-handed goals this season.
- Vegas forward Mark Stone played in his 400th career NHL game.
Up Next:
- Golden Knights: Travel to Toronto for a Thursday night game.
- Blue Jackets: Head to Arizona to face the Coyotes on Thursday.