The Vegas Golden Knights showed their resilience in a back-and-forth battle, rallying from a late deficit to earn a thrilling overtime victory and even their first-round series against the Utah Mammoth at two games apiece.
Golden Knights players react after dramatic OT win over Utah Mammoth – Deseret News
John Tortorella’s team came out flying after stewing on their Game 3 loss. They jumped ahead just 72 seconds in when Jack Eichel drew defenders in the corner and set up Pavel Dorofeyev for a back-door finish. Vegas extended the lead late in the first on a shorthanded goal by Brett Howden, then made it 3-0 early in the second on a redirection by Cole Smith off Noah Hanifin’s point shot.
Utah mounted a fierce comeback, scoring four unanswered goals to take the lead midway through the third period. The Mammoth capitalized on momentum shifts, with contributions from Lawson Crouse, Nick Schmaltz, Michael Carcone, and a fortunate bounce off Shea Theodore for Clayton Keller’s setup.
The Golden Knights refused to fold. They controlled play down the stretch and tied the game at 10:25 of the third when Hanifin’s blast was redirected home by Howden for his second goal of the night.
Overtime brought more drama. Vegas thought Pavel Dorofeyev had won it, but officials overturned the goal after review for an offside on Eichel. The Knights stayed composed, and with under a minute left, Ivan Barbashev set up Eichel behind the net. Eichel found Shea Theodore wide open in the slot for the game-winner after Utah goalie Karel Vejmelka lost his stick.
Strong Special Teams and Key Contributions
Vegas went perfect on the penalty kill (3-for-3) and scored shorthanded, though their power play stayed quiet. Eichel stepped up big in the clutch, while the team showed improved ability to handle momentum swings compared to the regular season.
The Golden Knights now head back to Vegas with renewed confidence and the series tied. This hard-fought win highlighted their depth, character, and ability to battle through adversity in a true playoff thriller.