Story by Alan Snel Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — The resilient, never-say-die Vegas Golden Knights did it again.
The VGK defeated Utah, 5-4, in a second overtime on Brett Howden’s shorthanded goal after forcing OT on a last-minute tying goal by Pavel Dorofeyev and lead the Best-of-7 first round series, three games to two, over the Mammoth.
Howden said the Golden Knights had a “sense of calmness” in making their comeback to tie the game at four apiece after pulling goalie Carter Hart and winning the hard-fought contest in a second overtime.
VGK coach John “Torts” Tortorella said postgame, “We’re a real good hockey team . . . They feel they’re never out of a game.”
Dorofeyev led the Vegas Golden Knights in goals with 37 this season and tonight in the crucial Game 5 against upstart Utah he showed why.
Dorofeyev, who was slumping earlier in the series and saw limited ice time in Game 4’s third period and OT, scored the Knights’ first goal, a g0-ahead goal in the second period and an overtime-forcing hat trick goal with less than a minute left in regulation as VGK is now a game away from knocking out Utah. Dorogeyev became the fourth player in NHL history with three tying goals in a playoff game.
VGK playmaking center John Eichel, who led the Knights in points this season, said he can play with Dorofeyev like he worked with Jonathan Marchessault three years ago in the VGK’s Stanley Cup-winning 2023 season when Marchessault turned hot in the playoffs.
Eichel said of Dorofeyev, “He’s prepared to shoot.”
Shoot he did. Dorofeyev notched the equalizer with only 52 seconds left in regulation.
The VGK-Utah winner plays the Edmonton-Anaheim winner in the Western Conference semifinals. Vegas travels to Salt Lake City Friday for Game 6. If the Mammoth win the elimination game, Game 7 will be at T-Mobile Arena Sunday.
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Here’s a look at get-in ticket practices on the secondary market for Games 5 and 6.
More later tonight on the VGK win.