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.
-
Vegas Golden Knights adds depth at NHL trade deadline
The NHL trade deadline has come and gone. Compared to past seasons, this year was a relatively quiet one for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Wild back Gustavsson with a 2nd-period burst in a 4-2 victory over VGK
Filip Gustavsson made 30 saves and the Minnesota Wild scored three goals in a 3:07 span in the second period in a 4-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday night.
Vegas Golden Knights acquire forward Nic Dowd from
Vegas acquired Dowd in exchange for goaltender Jesper Vikman, a third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Entry Draft, and a second-round pick in the 2029 NHL Entry Draft.
Hertl scores in OT to cap Vegas rally in 4-3 victory over Red Wings
Hertl scored in front off a pass from Mitch Marner as Vegas snapped a three-game losing streak. Marner scored the tying goal with 3:24 left in regulation and had two assists.
