Alec Martinez made an instant impact in his debut for the Vegas Golden Knights, scoring a goal and an assist to help the team snap Tampa Bay’s 11-game winning streak with a 5-3 win on Thursday night.
The crowd at T-Mobile Arena, known as one of the loudest in the NHL, erupted as Martinez was introduced in the starting lineup. The veteran defenseman, acquired from Los Angeles just a day earlier, took a moment before the game to soak in the atmosphere.
“I was pretty emotional at the start, feeding off the fans,” Martinez said. “I had to calm myself down a bit.”
Martinez contributed to Vegas’s solid all-around performance and gave Tampa Bay its first loss in regulation in 23 games. It was also the first time since January 14 that the Lightning allowed more than three goals in a game.
“It’s incredible to join a team of this caliber,” Martinez said. “It’s different when you’re on the same side — you notice things you wouldn’t as an opponent.”
Martinez scored late in the first period to tie the game 1-1 and assisted on a key goal by Mark Stone in the second period, marking his 200th career point. Vegas also got goals from Paul Stastny, Ryan Reaves, and Max Pacioretty. Marc-Andre Fleury made 24 saves, improving to 21-13-4 in his career against Tampa Bay.
The win was the Golden Knights’ fourth straight and moved them into first place in the Pacific Division, one point ahead of the Edmonton Oilers. During this hot streak, Vegas has defeated several playoff contenders, including St. Louis, Washington, and the New York Islanders.
“Everyone is playing really good hockey right now,” Pacioretty said. “We’ve given ourselves a chance to be in the hunt, and this is the tough part of the season.”
Vegas coach Peter DeBoer, who took over on January 15, praised his team’s growing confidence. Under DeBoer, the Golden Knights lead the NHL with 36.2 shots per game and have held opponents to 26.7 shots per game.
Andrei Vasilevskiy, who hadn’t lost in regulation since December 14, made 28 saves for Tampa Bay. Steven Stamkos scored twice for the Lightning, while Kevin Shattenkirk also added a goal.
Tampa Bay scored with Shattenkirk’s goal, which deflected off a Vegas defender’s skate. However, Martinez’s one-timer tied it up, and Stastny put Vegas ahead with a deflection early in the second period. Stamkos responded with a power-play goal, but Stone’s backhand goal gave the Golden Knights the lead for good shortly after.
In the third period, Reaves scored 10 seconds in, and Pacioretty extended the lead to 5-2 with his 28th goal. Stamkos later added another goal, but it wasn’t enough to catch up.
“We didn’t manage the puck well, and giving them a breakaway to a great player like Stone was costly,” said Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper. “That first minute of the third period really hurt us.”
Game Notes:
- Tampa Bay’s Brayden Point was scratched due to the flu.
- Martinez’s two-point game brought his career total to 200 points.
- Tampa Bay’s 11-game win streak was a franchise record.
Up Next:
- Lightning: Visit Arizona on Saturday.
- Golden Knights: Host Florida on Saturday.
