LAS VEGAS – In a thrilling start to the playoff series, the Vegas Golden Knights edged the Utah Mammoth 4-2 on Sunday night, showcasing both skill and resilience. Nic Dowd played a pivotal role in the victory, redirecting a shot from Noah Hanifin into the net at 7:20 of the third period, which ultimately gave the Golden Knights the lead.
“I didn’t do a lot, to be honest,” Dowd remarked modestly after the game. “It’s probably better if it gets on and off my stick that quick. … I just found a little bit of space. Everywhere across the league, there’s limited space out there. Guys are playing their best hockey defensively because everything matters that much more. It was a bang-bang play.”
Game 2 of the series is set for Tuesday night in Las Vegas, where the Golden Knights will look to continue their momentum. Remarkably, under the leadership of coach John Tortorella, the team has not lost in regulation, boasting an impressive record of 8-0-1.
For the Mammoth, this marked a bittersweet moment as they faced defeat in their first playoff game since 2020. Currently in their second season in Utah after relocating from Arizona, the team faced a tough challenge against the Golden Knights. Mammoth coach Andre Tourigny acknowledged the intensity of the match, stating, “It was a hard-fought game. It was physical. It was intense. Every inch was contested.”
Colton Sissons led the charge for the Golden Knights with a goal and an assist, while teammates Mark Stone and Ivan Barbashev also made notable contributions. Goalie Carter Hart was solid in net, stopping 32 shots and providing crucial support to his team. Meanwhile, Hanifin recorded two assists in the game.
The Mammoth’s goals came from Logan Cooley and Kevin Stenlund, with Karel Vejmelka, making his playoff debut after five years in the Utah/Arizona organization, making 27 saves. Despite a strong finish to the regular season, captain Clayton Keller was unable to record a point in this matchup.
From the outset, the Golden Knights set a physical tone, delivering 52 hits compared to Utah’s 29, a stark increase from their previous season high of 36 against the Los Angeles Kings. The intensity of the game was palpable, culminating in several fights, including a skirmish after the final buzzer.
“We played physical,” Tortorella noted. “We have some things to work on, but it was good to see us bang around a little bit. It’s a long series. You just keep on trying to do the things you think you need to grind away.”
The scoring opened with a brilliant cross-ice pass from former Golden Knight Nate Schmidt to Cooley, who fired a one-timer from the right circle, putting the Mammoth ahead with just 11 seconds left in the first period.
Sissons answered the call for Vegas at 3:44 of the second period, jamming in a puck after a backhand pass from Cole Smith. However, the Mammoth quickly regained the lead when a miscue by Hart and Vegas defenseman Kaeden Korczak resulted in an accidental own goal, credited to Stenlund.
Barbashev commented on their resolve, saying, “We didn’t really pay attention to it. Our guys did a really good job to get one back on the power play.” The Golden Knights tied the game again when Stone scored a power-play goal at 5:33 of the third period, converting a rebound.
Soon after, the Golden Knights took the lead when Dowd capitalized on a turnover by Utah defenseman MacKenzie Weegar, knocking in Hanifin’s shot. Barbashev sealed the victory with an empty-net goal, solidifying the Golden Knights’ strong start to the playoffs.
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