The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Los Angeles Kings 3-2, ending their four-game losing streak. Jack Eichel scored the opening goal, followed by Michael Amadio and Adrian Kempe. Logan Thompson made crucial saves, and the Knights blocked a franchise record 34 shots. Auston Matthews scored his 29th goal for the Toronto Maple Leafs, helping them secure a 5-5 tie against the Columbus Blue Jackets, with Johnny Gaudreau ultimately scoring the game-winning goal in overtime.
Johnny Hockey wins it for CBJ in OT. 6-5
For the second time in 15 days, these teams will go to OT tied at 5. This one feels a bit different though. What a game in Nationwide. #CBJ just kept on battling to get this point. Well deserved.
Like their first meeting this season, Leafs and Blue Jackets tied 5-5 going into overtime.
Huge save by Spencer Martin amid a Leafs flurry to keep it 5-5. #CBJ
Guddy with a close tying goal but a block at the very last second keeps this one 5-4 #CBJ
Embarrassing start to the first quarter and an embarrassing finish to the second quarter. Kings down 71-53 at the half in Atlanta.
GOAL JACKETS! Gaunce gets his first of the season from a sweet dish from Sexy Texy! #CBJ back within one, 3-2
GOAL JACKETS! Gaunce gets his first of the season from a sweet fish from Sexy Texy! #CBJ back within one, 3-2
Now #CBJ answer quickly off the rush. It's 3-2 at 3:20 of the second. Gaunce has his shot stopped by Samsonov, but the pucks sails up and over the goalie and into the cage. Gaunce's first NHL goal since April of 2022 3-2 #LeafsForever
This is incredible: #LeafsForever Auston Matthews, with his first-period goal tonight, has now scored at least one goal in nine consecutive regular-season games against #CBJ. Here are the previous eight games, courtesy of https://t.co/sDy2TtWqwh: https://t.co/MZGJVKysy3
AUSTON MATTHEWS CAN'T STOP SCORING. 🔥🚨 (🎥: @MapleLeafs) https://t.co/iCAufbasU8
Auston Matthews scores. And the #Leafs are back on top 2-1 TOR. 29th of the season.
Merzlikins with a breakaway stop on Domi after quite a #CBJ turnover right to the former Jacket. CBJ started fine but it's been all Leafs since the goal.
Auston Matthews, who is the best goal scorer in the #NHL, leads the League with 20 even strength goals. Connor Bedard, who will not turn 19 until next July, has 14 even strength goals, typing him for the fourth most. Impressive. #LeafsForever #Blackhawks
Oh boy! We get to watch CBJ play the Leafs for the 3rd time this month 😀👍🏼 #cbj
The @GoldenKnights beat the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 Thursday night at T-Mobile Arena to end their four-game losing streak. #VegasBorn https://t.co/qEuO3qJpHL
The Knights blocked a franchise record 34 shots tonight. When they’re blocking shots in volume, they usually get the win.
Tonight's game breaks a string of 8 consecutive games in which VGK had allowed 3 or more goals. Their details were so much better tonight in their own end, despite playing most of the game with only 5 defensemen.
Kings apply tremendous pressure but unable to get the equalizer. Knights win 3-2 and snap the four-game losing streak. They’ll head to Seattle for the Winter Classic on a positive note.
Kings threw the house at em but can’t find an equalizer. Good effort. 3-2 VGK Final.
Final, 3-2 Vegas. The Golden Knights end the losing skid. Logan Thompson under siege for the final two minutes, but Vegas prevail. 22-10-5. And a win going into the Winter Classic.
Final: Golden Knights 3, Kings 2 An exasperated hug at their net, as the Golden Knights hang on to end the four-game losing streak. Wild finish there. Next up: Winter Classic.
Final- Vegas 3, LA 2 Golden Knights survive a late push by the Kings to end the losing streak in time for the Winter Classic. Much better effort from start to finish, especially defensively where they didn't give up much all night.
End of two, 3-1 VGK. Don’t get the feeling Kings are out of this one. They’ve shown they can comeback on the road.
End of the second, 3-1 Vegas. This game rocks. Both teams are playing well. Just fun hockey.
End of 2: Golden Knights 3, Kings 1 Kings will have 15 seconds left of power play time to begin the third, but Vegas gets two more from Amadio and Karlsson to offset the Kopitar goal. Shots 22-20 Vegas.
Kopitar gets Kings on the board as he tips in Kempe's shot. 2-1 Vegas. w/6:53 left in the 2nd.
LAK Goal - Earned that one. Kopitar gets to the net and re-deflects Kempe's already-deflected shot. Outstanding shift from that line. 2-1.
The Golden Knights got the goal, but the Kings have been carrying play. Need Vegas to dial things in here. They can’t continue to spend that much time in their own zone.
Knights doing much better job helping out Thompson and clearing rebounds away from in front. They had 10 blocked shots in the first period and a couple more here early in the second.
Amadio with a nice move and he goes top shelf to beat Talbot and make it 2-0 Knights. Dorofeyev and McNabb with the helpers.
One of the rare times the Golden Knights completely shred the Kings' 1-3-1 NZ. Caught em out of position and isolated the last guy. Amadio with a nifty little finish in tight too. 2-0 VGK
VGK Goal - Amadio makes it 2-0. An incisive pass from Dorofeyev to split the defensemen, Amadio finishes for the goal.
Great play by Pavel Dorofeyev to enter the zone and flip a backhand pass to Amadio on the doorstep. Amadio roofs it over Talbot to make it 2-0 Vegas.
Amadio gets behind the LA defense and goes high on Talbot, 2-0 VGK.
Michael Amadio gets behind the defense, works the give-and-go with Dorofeyev and beats Talbot. 2-0
Second period is underway! Kings trailing 1-0 as we get back to it.
1-0 Vegas after 20 minutes. Talbot with a few big stops to keep it at one. Not a bad period for LAK, when they played quickly they found success.
End of one, 1-0 VGK. Both teams had their chances, but Eichel is the only player to cash in so far.
End of the first, 1-0 Vegas. That’s more like it. The period I thought Vegas would have last night in Anaheim. They were connected. Puck support was a major strength. Thompson settled in. A good start.
End of 1: Golden Knights 1, Kings 0 As solid of a first as you can ask. Thompson stops all seven shots, not many were dangerous, and Eichel scores to get Vegas on the board. Shots are 8-7 home team.
Vegas leads LA 1-0 after one period. Good defensive structure for VGK, most of LA's 7 shots came from a long way out.
Eichel goes top shelf over Talbot's glove and in. 1-0 Knights. Barbashev with the lone helper.
Jack Eichel opens the scoring with a beautiful wrister to the far-side top corner. Barbashev had a nice pass to set him up. 1-0 Vegas
VGK Goal - Eichel goes top glove from the left-hand circle. 1-0 Golden Knights, 7:38 in.
JACK EICHEL. 1-0 Vegas. He’s absolutely flying tonight. And that’s a ripper of a shot. My goodness.
Jack Eichel from the left dot. 1-0
The Golden Knights have been much better tonight. They are winning more battles. More races. And they have puck support in all three zones.
Kings do a terrific job of having their forwards get back and help the D. Don't expect a ton of odd-man rushes tonight by VGK.
Maple Leafs, Blue Jackets try to return to winning ways https://t.co/8dG4L2GkrN https://t.co/5pAXU6y1g0