SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Jack Eichel scored two goals and assisted on a third to power the Vegas Golden Knights to a 4-1 victory over the Utah Mammoth on Thursday night.
Ben Hutton and Braeden Bowman each scored a goal and Shea Theodore had three assists to help the Golden Knights win for the third time in four games. Akira Schmid had 25 saves.
Nate Schmidt scored for Utah and Karel Vejmelka made 29 stops. The Mammoth dropped their fourth straight contest and have just two wins in their last 11 games.
After a scoreless first period, Vegas scored twice in 19 seconds early in the second period.
Eichel, who now has 10 goals this season, got the first at 3:09 of the second, slipping the puck behind Vejmelka’s blind side. Hutton followed 19 seconds later, snapping the puck home in traffic to put Vegas up 2-0.
Schmidt scored his first goal of the season at the 6:38 of the second to cut the deficit in half. The Golden Knights regained their two-goal lead when Eichel scored again with 3:09 left in the second, scoring on a breakaway set up by a long pass from Bowman.
Bowman tipped in the puck 45 seconds into the third to complete the scoring.
Vegas has won all seven games this season where it has led after the second period.
Up next
Knights: at Anaheim on Saturday night.
Mammoth: host New York Rangers on Saturday night.
-
Vegas, Carolina playing Stanley Cup Final for the ages, and the numbers show it
High-scoring, history-making, lead-blowing hockey is on full display in the Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes.
Golden Knights need improved play from Eichel, Hart and special teams to beat the Hurricanes
The Golden Knights find themselves in a familiar playoff position, needing to win two of the next three games in the Stanley Cup Final against the Hurricanes
Golden Knights drop Game 4 of Stanley Cup Final, tying series up at 2-2
The Carolina Hurricanes beat the Vegas Golden Knights 5-3 in Game 4 on Tuesday night to even the Stanley Cup Final at 2-2.
VGK among greatest NHL expansion franchises even if they don't beat Hurricanes
Hockey historian Eric Zweig said Vegas is on the short list of top expansion franchises in NHL history, and another Stanley Cup should put the Golden Knights in the conversation as the best.
