The Vegas Golden Knights will try to extend their win streak to a season-high five games on Tuesday when they face the New York Islanders in Elmont, N.Y.
The Golden Knights, who have only lost twice in regulation in 13 road contests (7-2-4), won their fourth straight game in dramatic fashion on Sunday night, rallying to defeat the New York Rangers, 3-2, in overtime at Madison Square Garden.
With the goalie pulled for an extra attacker, Tomas Hertl scored the tying goal on a backhanded rebound in the slot with 52 seconds left in regulation and Jack Eichel then scored the game-winner on a breakaway with eight seconds left in OT.
The four-game win streak, which also included home wins over San Jose and Chicago and a 3-0 shutout of the host New Jersey Devils on Friday, matches the longest win streak of the season for Vegas. The Golden Knights also won four straight games Oct. 14-20.
Eichel’s game-winner came on a set play in the Rangers’ zone. Brett Howden won a faceoff in the right circle back to defenseman Shea Theodore who then immediately banked a pass off the side boards in the neutral zone to Eichel, who got behind New York defenseman Matthew Robertson. Eichel then deked Rangers goalie Jonathan Quick and tucked a wrist shot inside the right post.
“It was a set play for us,” Eichel said. “Huge faceoff win by (Howden) and then ‘Theo’ makes a great pass. I just took off and was able to get behind him. … They just kind of walked me in there.”
Vegas, second in the Pacific Division and one point behind the Anaheim Ducks, improved to 2-0 on its five-game road trip.
“It’s a big win, gutsy win for us,” Eichel said. “Find a way to get one late and then win it in overtime. A lot of credit to the group on their resiliency and finding a way to get two points.”
Eichel leads the talented Golden Knights’ attack with 36 points (12 goals, 24 assists).
The Islanders are in the midst of a brutal schedule that sees them play five consecutive games against teams that have combined to win the last six Stanley Cups: Tampa Bay (2020, 2021), Colorado (2022), Vegas (2023) and Florida (2024, 2025).
New York defeated the Atlantic Division-leading Lightning twice and handed NHL points leader Colorado just its second regulation loss in 29 games while also snapping the Avalanche’s 17-game points streak before suffering a 4-1 loss to the back-to-back defending champion Panthers in Sunrise, Fla., on Sunday.
Despite the loss, Isles coach Patrick Roy was happy with his team’s performance, garnering six of a possible very-tough eight points.
“I think we’re gonna learn a lot from a game like this to see how they played, the way they play,” Roy said. “We were right there ‘til the end. I see a lot of positives (from) this.
“Overall, that was a tough schedule. We played Tampa twice, played Colorado, back-to-back games there. Three of four, that’s pretty good.”
Goalie Ilya Sorokin won all three games, compiling with a 1.33 goals-against average and .960 save percentage topped by a 32-save performance in 2-0 shutout of the Lightning on Saturday. He was named the NHL’s First Star of the Week on Monday.
This is the second of two regular-season meetings. New York won the first one, 4-3, in overtime in Las Vegas on Nov. 13 on a short-handed overtime goal by Jean-Gabriel Pageau.
Pageau, who has missed the last eight games with an upper-body injury, was a full participant in the team’s morning skate before the loss at Florida and could return for Tuesday’s contest.
Bo Horvat leads the Islanders with 29 points (17 goals, 12 assists), but has cooled off after hitting the scoresheet in 10 of 11 games. He only has four points in his last nine outings and was a minus-3 in the loss to Florida.
–Field Level Media
