Just the facts: Utah Mammoth 3 Vegas Golden Knights 2
Series: Tied at one game each
Winning goal: Logan Cooley of Utah in third period
Attendance: 17,871
Bottom line: Utah outplayed Vegas last two periods
VGK goal scorers: Mark Stone in period 1, Ivan Barbashev in period 2
Torts postgame: “We lost any kind of flow in the second period.”
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Story by Alan Snel Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — The chippy, post-whistle scrum action between the Vegas Golden Knights and Utah Mammoth in VGK’s 4-2 Game 1 was toned down in Game 2.
But it was still physical as the Knights and Mammoth were tied, 1-1, in the I-15 Stanley Cup playoff showdown.
Mark Stone scored a power play goal for his second goal in two games. Then Utah scored when VGK goalie Carter Hart made a save, but the puck deflected off Rasmus Andersson’s skate blade into the goal as Andersson was in the middle of his stride.
It was 1-1 after one period.
Utah enjoyed territorial and shot advantage (13-4) in the second period, with Dylan Guenther blasting a one-timer past Hart.
But Jack Eichel set up Ivan Barbashev, who made a gorgeous backhander to knot the game at 2-2 late in the second.
Torts on Barbashev: “Physical player and has given us some good minutes.”
Utah scored the game-winner in period three when Logan Cooley put in a rebound past VGK goalie Carter Hart.
Vegas is the NHL’s best third period team. But tonight, the Knights could not muster the winning touch in the final 20 minutes.
Final: Utah 3 Vegas 2 and the series is tied at one apiece.
Utah coach Andre Tourigny talked about the fine line for players in the postseason: “You need to be urgent. You need to be patient.”