Mitch Marner scored two goals and had an assist as the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Utah Mammoth 5-1 to clinch their first-round Western Conference playoff series in Game 6 on Friday in Salt Lake City.
It was the sixth career three-point playoff game for Marner, tying his postseason high. Brett Howden scored a goal for the third straight game, and Colton Sissons and Cole Smith also scored goals for Vegas, which advanced to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the sixth time in its nine-year history.
Carter Hart made 22 saves for the Golden Knights, who will face the Anaheim Ducks in the Western Conference semifinals. Anaheim eliminated the two-time defending conference champion Edmonton Oilers in six games.
“They’re a team that has great skill, make a lot of plays, come at you with a lot of speed,” Marner said of the Ducks. “Just got to make sure we’re disciplined in our play and our positioning, make sure we’re playing a heavy, down-low game.”
Kailer Yamamoto scored a goal and Karel Vejmelka finished with 21 saves for Utah, which was playing its first playoff series since the franchise moved from Arizona in April 2024.
Vegas took a 1-0 lead at the 15:02 mark of the first period. Marner’s shot from the high slot caromed off the end boards straight to Howden parked alone by the left post. Howden swept in a shot for his fourth goal in three games.
The Golden Knights came within inches of doubling the lead early in the second period. Tomas Hertl’s attempt from the left circle squeaked past Vejmelka and was within inches of the goal line before the Mammoth goalie reached back and knocked it away.
Marner made it 2-0 with 44.1 seconds left in the second period. His first goal of the playoffs, a slap shot from the top of the right circle, went past Vejmelka’s glove side and inside the far left corner.
It snapped a 10-game goal drought in the playoffs for Marner that dated back to last season, when he was playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“This is what I hoped for when I came to Vegas,” Marner said. “There’s a lot more work to do to keep going. Get the rest we need here and get ready for Anaheim.”
Utah cut the deficit to 2-1 with 12:19 remaining in the third period when Yamamoto came down the right wing and snapped a shot past Hart’s stick side.
Vegas restored the two-goal margin just 1:58 later when Sissons shoveled the rebound of a Brayden McNabb point shot past Vejmelka’s stick side.
“When you’re looking to put a team away, you have to have that killer instinct,” said Mark Stone, who had an assist on Howden’s goal. “I thought we did. They’re a good hockey team. I thought we took away their time and space in the third period and really got back to our identity, which is put pucks behind, get some turnovers and making some plays.”
Marner sealed the win by netting a power-play goal with 7:51 to go, ripping in a rebound of a Shea Theodore shot from the low slot.
Utah pulled Vejmelka for an extra attacker with 4:15 left, and Smith added an empty-netter from inside his own blue line with 3:36 remaining to end the scoring.
“I don’t know what to tell you tonight,” Mammoth coach Andre Tourigny said. “It hurt. I didn’t have that on my bingo card. I was really confident that we would go to Vegas tomorrow (for Game 7 on Sunday). I’m mad. I’m disappointed. I’m not mad at the players. I’m mad at the fact that we lost.”
–Field Level Media
