OT winner lets Golden Knights exhale before facing Blue Jackets
After snapping a season-long five-game losing streak with a 4-3 overtime victory at Winnipeg on Tuesday, the Vegas Golden Knights will try to snap another losing drought when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday in Las Vegas.
The Golden Knights have lost three in a row at T-Mobile Arena and four of their last five (1-2-2), including two by shootouts, and have just eight wins (8-6-6) in 20 home games. Despite the poor home record, Vegas enters the contest tied with Edmonton atop a tightly bunched Pacific Division with 48 points and two games in hand.
Tomas Hertl scored the game-winner on a 4-on-3 power play with 12.8 seconds remaining in overtime against the Jets with a deflection of Mitch Marner's one-timer. The puck hit the right post and trickled along the goal line before Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck reached back and nudged it over the line with his glove.
It wasn't the prettiest of goals but was much needed for the struggling Golden Knights, who are 2-5-3 in the past 10 games.
"Obviously, it's been a tough stretch lately," defenseman Noah Hanifin said. "I think it's something that we can build off. We've had some tough bounces lately in some of these games, and that can be demoralizing at times, and you just have to stick with it and fight and eventually it will tilt the other way.
"It's nice just to come in after a game and get back on the train and get two points. Go home and it's something to feel good about and build off of. Just feels good to walk away with a win."
Columbus, last in the Eastern Conference with 43 points, comes in with a two-game losing streak. The Blue Jackets opened a four-game western road trip that also includes stops at Colorado and Utah with a 5-2 loss at San Jose on Tuesday.
The game was closer than the final score indicated. The Blue Jackets trailed 3-2 late in the third period after a Sean Monahan goal but the Sharks sealed the win with a pair of empty-net goals.
"We obviously wanted to start the road trip a little better," center Boone Jenner said. "Resilient group in there, and we've got another game on the road to show that. It's up to us to find the next gear."
The Blue Jackets said they got a spark in the second period from forward Mathieu Olivier, who got the better of Ryan Reaves during a heavyweight fight that featured a flurry of blows by both players.
"He's our guy and he brings so much to this team and in this room," defenseman Zach Werenski said. "For him to stand up for our group like that and get us going, it's incredible. Wish we could have responded better in the third period by getting a win for him in that situation."
This is the second of two regular-season meetings between the teams. Vegas won 3-2 in Columbus on Dec. 13 with Brayden McNabb scoring the game-winner in the third period.