LAS VEGAS (AP) — Mitch Marner broke a third-period tie and the Vegas Golden Knights won the Pacific Division for the fifth time in their nine-year history, beating the Seattle Kraken 4-1 on Wednesday night to close the regular season.
WATCH| Sports Reporter Taylor Rocha was at T-Mobile Arena as fans cheered on the champs:
Two points ahead of Edmonton entering the night, Vegas needed only a point to win the Pacific and set up a first-round series against Utah. Edmonton will finish play Thursday night at home against Vancouver.
Reilly Smith had two late goals, Shea Theodore also scored and Carter Hart made 22 saves to help Vegas win its third straight. The Golden Knights finished 39-26-17, going 7-0-1 since John Tortorella took over as coach for the fired Bruce Cassidy.
Shane Wright scored for Seattle, and Nikke Kokko stopped 22 shots. The Kraken have lost two straight to fall to 34-36-11 with a game left Thursday night at Colorado.
Marner gave Vegas a 2-1 lead at 1:23 of the third. Off a faceoff, defenseman Brayden McNabb took a long, straightaway shot that Marner tipped in for his 24th goal of the season.
Theodore tied it with 2:25 left in the second. The defenseman got the puck at the right point off a faceoff, moved to the top of the circle and fired a wrist shot past Kokko's glove.
Wright opened the scoring at 2:24 of the second after missing the previous eight games because of an upper-body injury.
Golden Knights captain Mark Stone played his 400th game for the franchise.
Up next
Kraken: At Colorado on Thursday night.
Golden Knights: Host Utah in the first round of the playoffs.
-
Hertl's goal lifts Golden Knights past Hurricanes 5-4 to open Stanley Cup Final
Tomas Hertl took a backhand pass from Colton Sisson with 3:24 left in the third period, lifting the Golden Knights past the Hurricanes 5-4 in Tuesday night's opener of the Stanley Cup Final.
Leaders from Las Vegas, Raleigh make friendly wagers ahead of Stanley Cup Finals
In Las Vegas, it's no secret that the house always wins, but that isn't stopping some friendly wagers from popping up ahead of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Mayors from Las Vegas, Raleigh make friendly wager ahead of Stanley Cup Finals
Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley and Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell have made a friendly wager as the Vegas Golden Knights prepare to face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Vegas, Carolina rugged and rolling as they open Stanley Cup Final
The Vegas Golden Knights were born nine years ago, but from the time they pillaged the rest of the NHL in the expansion draft through this spring, they have set championship expectations.
