Ilya Samsonov stopped all 22 shots he faced for his 15th career shutout and second of the season as the Vegas Golden Knights cruised past the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-0 on Friday night.
Mark Stone led the charge with two goals, while Tanner Pearson contributed one goal and an assist. Ivan Barbashev and Brandon Saad also found the back of the net for Vegas, which extended its winning streak to four games.
Pittsburgh, meanwhile, continued its struggles, dropping its fourth consecutive game and eighth in its last nine contests. Alex Nedeljkovic made 23 saves but couldn’t keep the Penguins within striking distance.
The game also marked the return of Reilly Smith, an original member of the Golden Knights’ 2017 expansion roster, who won the Stanley Cup with Vegas in 2023 before being traded to Pittsburgh in the offseason.
Takeaways
Penguins: Evgeni Malkin reached a major milestone, becoming just the fifth Russian-born player in NHL history to play 1,200 games. He trails only Sidney Crosby (1,335 games) for the most appearances in Penguins franchise history.
Golden Knights: Smith played his 400th game as a member of the Golden Knights, while Jack Eichel hit another career milestone by skating in his 600th NHL game.
Key Moment
Just two minutes into the third period, Saad sprinted into the offensive zone and ripped a wrist shot past Nedeljkovic from the right circle, extending Vegas’ lead to 3-0 and crushing any hopes of a Pittsburgh comeback.
Key Stat
With his three-point performance, Stone has 54 points (17 goals, 37 assists) this season, surpassing his total from last year when he finished with 53 points (16 goals, 37 assists).
Up Next
Golden Knights: Host the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday.
Penguins: Travel to Minnesota for a matchup against the Wild on Sunday.
