Vegas Golden Knights Ground Red-Hot Lightning With 5-3 Win Before 18,376 Thursday

February 20, 2020February 21, 2020 Alan Snel Alec Martinez, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty, Pete DeBoer, Ryan Reaves, Steven Stamkos

The Stone goal off a Pacioretty pass gave VGK a 3-2 lead in period two.

By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com

LVSportsBiz.com photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell

VGK winger Mark Stone took a feed from linemate Max Pacioretty, made a gorgeous move on Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy and backhanded the puck into the net to give the Golden Knights 3-2 lead with less than four minutes left in period two.

The Knights never looked back. Ryan Reaves and Pacioretty netted goals at the start of period three to give the VGK a 5-2 lead over the red-hot Lightning and the Knights came away with a solid 5-3 win before 18,376 at the Big Ice House by the Strip Thursday evening.

Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty celebrate in second period.

The Stone goal countered a goal by Lightning sniper Steven Stamkos that tied the game at two apiece in the second period. Stamkos added the Lightning’s third goal with two minutes left in the game.

Fans enjoyed the big VGK win that stopped the Lightning win streak at 11.

The game also marked the debut of VGK defenseman Alec Martinez, who was acquired by Vegas from the LA Kings and was paired with VGK scrappy defenseman Jon Merrill.