04/20/26 12:42:00
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04/20 00:41 CDT Golden Knights rally past Mammoth 4-2 in Game 1 as Nic Dowd
nets the winner
Golden Knights rally past Mammoth 4-2 in Game 1 as Nic Dowd nets the winner
By MARK ANDERSON
AP Sports Writer
LAS VEGAS (AP) --- Nic Dowd redirected Noah Hanifin's shot from the point to
put Vegas ahead at 7:20 of the third period and the Golden Knights beat the
Utah Mammoth 4-2 on Sunday night in Game 1 of their first-round series.
Game 2 is Tuesday night in Las Vegas.
The Golden Knights, who twice trailed before scoring three third-period goals,
have not lost in regulation since John Tortorella (8-0-1) took over as coach.
The Mammoth lost in the franchise's first playoff game since 2020. They are in
their second season in Utah after leaving Arizona.
Colton Sissons had a goal and assist for the Golden Knights and Mark Stone and
Ivan Barbashev also scored. Carter Hart stopped 32 shots. Hanifin had two
assists.
Logan Cooley and Kevin Stenlund scored for the Mammoth. Karel Vejmelka, playing
in his first playoff game after five years in the Utah/Arizona organization,
made 27 saves. Captain Clayton Keller, who closed the regular season with 16
assists over a 10-game streak, failed to record one in this game.
The Golden Knights took the fight to the Mammoth from the beginning and
finished with 52 hits to 29 for Utah. Vegas' high in the regular season was 36
against Los Angeles in the Oct. 8 opener.
Both teams breaking into several fights including one after the final buzzer.
Former Golden Knight Nate Schmidt delivered a tremendous cross-ice pass to
Cooley, whose one-timer from the right circle put the Mammoth on the scoreboard
first with just 11 seconds left in the first period.
Sissons scored the equalizer at 3:44 of the second period, jamming in the puck
after a backhand pass from Cole Smith. Utah retook the lead not even two
minutes later when Hart found himself out of position and Vegas defenseman
Kaeden Korczak knocked the puck into his own net, though it was officially
credited to Kevin Stenlund.
The Golden Knights again tied it when Stone put a rebound into the open net for
a power-play goal 5:33 of the third period. They then soon had the lead when
Utah defenseman MacKenzie Weegar turned over the puck in his zone, and Dowd
knocked in Hanifin's shot.
Barbashev closed the scoring with an empty-netter.
___
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