After 628 career games, Reilly Smith finally had his moment, netting his first career hat trick to lift the Vegas Golden Knights to a 4-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night.
Marc-Andre Fleury made 20 saves in the win, and Smith joined teammate Max Pacioretty as Golden Knights to record hat tricks this season — both at home and against the Blues.
“It took over 600 games, but it’s definitely a big moment,” Smith said. “I’m really happy about it, but it wouldn’t have happened without the guys’ help.”
Chandler Stephenson also scored for Vegas, which became a tie with the Carolina Hurricanes for the most points in the NHL (80), as both teams compete for the Presidents’ Trophy. The winner of the trophy will secure home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs.
Vegas extended its home winning streak to seven season-high games as they prepare to face the Colorado Avalanche on Monday. The matchup will determine the West Division champion, with the Golden Knights having the tiebreaker advantage over the Hurricanes for the league’s best record.
“This was an important game,” said coach Peter DeBoer. “We talked a month ago about making sure that the game against Colorado at the end of the season would mean something. We’ve worked hard over the last several weeks to make that happen, and now it’s the biggest game of the year.”
Since the Presidents’ Trophy was first awarded in the 1985-86 season, eight winners have claimed the Stanley Cup, while three others reached the final. More Stanley Cups have been won by No. 1 overall seeds than by any other seed since 1999. However, the last team to win both trophies in the same season was the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks, and no Presidents’ Trophy winner has advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in the last seven years.
Fleury, who recently moved into sole possession of third place on the NHL’s career wins list, has now won eight straight games, allowing no more than two goals in each.
Colton Parayko scored the lone goal for St. Louis, while rookie goaltender Ville Husso, in his 16th career start, made 25 saves.
For the second consecutive night, Smith opened the scoring for Vegas, tapping in a close-range shot to give the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead. Shortly after, former Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo intercepted a pass and set up Stephenson for a one-timer that made it 2-0, marking the first short-handed goal St. Louis has allowed this season.
St. Louis managed only three shots in the first period and four in the second. Their lone goal came when Parayko stole the puck from Shea Theodore behind the net and beat Fleury with a backhand shot just before the end of the second period.
Smith extended the lead in the third with a power-play goal, chipping in his own rebound. He completed his hat trick with an empty-netter in the final minute.
“We had some tired players in the lineup tonight,” Blues coach Craig Berube said. “We didn’t engage early enough and couldn’t generate offense. We know how to play against them, but tonight, we weren’t at our best.”
LOUD CROWDS
The Golden Knights hosted 7,657 fans, tying Friday’s NHL season-high attendance. The same crowd size is expected for Monday’s game against Colorado, and even more fans are anticipated for the Stanley Cup playoffs opening round.
FACE-OFF
Playing in his fourth NHL game, Rookie Peyton Krebs left the ice in the second period after being hit in the face by a slap shot from Shea Theodore. He did not return.
UP NEXT
- St. Louis: Travels to Los Angeles on Monday night.
- Vegas: Hosts Colorado on Monday night.