Full Game Highs: Howden's 2OT Shorthanded Winner Seals 5-4 Game 5 Victory for Vegas

Full Game Highs: Howden's 2OT Shorthanded Winner Seals 5-4 Game 5 Victory for Vegas

The Vegas Golden Knights took down the Utah Mammoth in double overtime with a 5-4 win in Game 5 of the First Round on Wednesday night at T-Mobile Arena to take a 3-2 lead in the series. Pavel Dorofeyev led the way with his first career playoff hat trick, including the game-tying goal in the final minute of regulation to force overtime. After a scoreless first extra frame, Brett Howden netted the shorthanded game-winner 5:28 into the second overtime, marking his third career playoff overtime goal. Utah opened the scoring late in the first period before Dorofeyev answered on the power play with 41 seconds remaining to tie the game 1-1. The Mammoth regained the lead in the second period, but Dorofeyev struck again to even the score before Shea Theodore gave Vegas its first lead of the night at 3-2 with a wrist shot from the point. Utah responded with two third-period goals to take a 4-3 advantage before Dorofeyev completed the hat trick in the final minute of regulation to send the game to overtime. Shea Theodore recorded a goal and an assist, including his 10th career playoff go-ahead goal — the most among active defensemen — while Jack Eichel added two assists to become the franchise leader in multi-assist playoff games (11) and move into a tie for second in postseason assists in team history (40). Carter Hart made 34 saves in the win, stopping all 12 shots he faced across both overtime periods.

Full Game Highs: Theodore Buries OT Winner, Vegas Ties Series 2-2

The Vegas Golden Knights evened their First Round series at 2-2 with a 5-4 overtime win against the Utah Mammoth in Game 4, as Shea Theodore scored the game-winner with less than a minute remaining in overtime. Theodore’s goal marked his first career playoff overtime tally and 16th postseason goal with Vegas. Pavel Dorofeyev opened the scoring just 1:12 into the first period, and Brett Howden added a shorthanded goal late in the frame to give Vegas a 2-0 lead. Cole Smith extended the advantage to 3-0 early in the second, but Utah answered with goals from Nick Schmaltz and Ian Cole to cut the deficit to one. The Mammoth carried that momentum into the third period, as Michael Carcone tied the game before Clayton Keller gave Utah its first lead at 4-3. Howden struck again midway through the period, deflecting in Noah Hanifin’s shot to even the score at 4-4 and force overtime. Howden led the way with two goals and an assist, while Jack Eichel recorded three assists, including on the overtime winner. Dorofeyev and Smith each scored their first goals of the series, with Smith notching his first career postseason tally.

Full Game Highs: Golden Knights Fall to Mammoth, 4-2, in Game 3

The Vegas Golden Knights fell to the Utah Mammoth, 4-2, in Game 3 of the First Round on Friday night at Delta Center, as Utah took a 2-1 series lead. Utah built a 4-0 advantage behind goals from MacKenzie Weegar, Dylan Guenther, and two from Lawson Crouse before Vegas mounted a late push. Jack Eichel got the Golden Knights on the board with 6:40 remaining in the second period, converting a rebound in the crease on a backhand. Nic Dowd pulled Vegas within two with just over three minutes left in regulation, finishing a centering feed from Reilly Smith, but Utah held off the comeback to secure the win.

Full Game Highs: Golden Knights Drop Game 2 to Mammoth, 3-2

The Vegas Golden Knights fell to the Utah Mammoth, 3-2, in Game 2 of their First-Round series on Tuesday night at T-Mobile Arena, evening up the series, 1-1. Vegas opened the scoring on a power-play deflection from Mark Stone with 8:18 left in the first, but MacKenzie Weegar tied it late in the period for Utah. Dylan Guenther gave Utah a 2–1 lead midway through the second before Ivan Barbashev responded just over a minute later to even it at 2–2. In the third, Logan Cooley scored with six minutes remaining to lift Utah to a 3–2, series-tying win.

Full Game Highs: Golden Knights Claim Game 1 Victory Over Mammoth, 4-2

The Vegas Golden Knights opened the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 4-2 victory over the Utah Mammoth in Game 1 of their first-round series on Sunday night at T-Mobile Arena. Vegas leads the series, 1-0. Logan Cooley gave Utah a 1-0 lead late in the first period, but Colton Sissons tied the game at 3:44 of the second. Less than two minutes later, Kevin Stenlund restored Utah’s lead before Mark Stone evened the score, 2-2, with a power-play goal early in the third. Nic Dowd scored the game-winner at 7:20 of the final frame, and Ivan Barbashev added an empty-net goal to seal the victory. Carter Hart made 31 saves for a .939 save percentage in the win. Sissons led the way with a goal and an assist, bringing his career playoff total to 27 points, while Dowd recorded the game-winning goal and now has five career postseason tallies. Stone’s tying goal marked his 37th playoff goal with Vegas, the most in franchise history, and Noah Hanifin contributed two assists. The Golden Knights outhit Utah 52-30 and improved to 12-7 in Game 1s of best-of-seven series. The win marked Vegas’ 63rd playoff victory, the most in the NHL since entering the league in 2017-18, while Reilly Smith and Brayden McNabb each appeared in their 100th playoff game with the club.