William Karlsson netted the go-ahead goal early in the third period and the Vegas Golden Knights scored three consecutive times to pull out a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night in Las Vegas.

It was the third game-winning goal of the season for Karlsson. Brett Howden had a goal and an assist and Alex Pietrangelo also scored for Vegas, which improved to 6-1-0 in December and 17-3-2 against Western Conference opponents.

Adin Hill made 19 saves for the victory.

Teddy Blueger scored for Vancouver, which lost its second straight game (0-1-1) and fell for the fifth time in seven games (2-3-2). Kevin Lankinen, making his first start since Dec. 12 after missing three games with the flu, finished with 18 saves.

Vancouver, playing its third game in four nights and the second game of a back-to-back that began with a 3-2 overtime loss against the Utah Hockey Club in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, controlled most of the first period while taking a 1-0 lead. Blueger wrapped a rebound in around Hill for his first goal in 13 games at the 8:15 mark.

Vegas, playing for the first time since a 3-2 win at Minnesota on Sunday, tied it at 17:35 of the second period. Pietrangelo scored on a slap shot from above the right circle that went past Lankinen’s blocker and inside the far post.

Karlsson gave the Golden Knights a 2-1 lead early in the third period when he drove along the left goal line with Pius Suter draped on him and put in a rebound of a sharp-angle shot past Lankinen’s glove side.

The Canucks, who managed just three shots on goal over a 34 1/2-minute stretch in the second and third periods, pulled Lankinen for an extra attacker with 1:10 remaining, and Howden sealed the win with an empty-netter with 49.8 seconds left.

–Field Level Media