With 12.8 seconds left in overtime, Tomas Hertl tipped in Mitch Marner’s power-play shot from the point to give the Vegas Golden Knights a 4-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night at Canada Life Centre. The win ended a five-game losing streak and a stretch of eight losses in nine games for the Knights (18-11-12).
Earlier Tuesday, Hertl was named to the Czechia Olympic team, becoming the seventh Golden Knights player selected for next month’s Winter Olympics in Italy. It will be his first Olympic appearance.
The Knights improved to 5-12 in overtime this season, snapping an NHL-high 17-game streak of games that went beyond regulation. Carter Hart made 17 saves, including several key stops in overtime to keep the game alive.
“Right before that goal, (Hart) made a couple unbelievable stops that kept us in it,” defenseman Noah Hanifin said. “Then we fortunately drew a penalty, and we’re confident on the power play in any situation. Getting that in overtime, that’s what your top guys do.”
Winnipeg led 2-0 late in the second period before Mark Stone scored on a rebound to cut the lead. Brett Howden tied the game 8:13 into the third period. Kyle Connor gave the Jets a 3-2 lead with 5:04 remaining, but Reilly Smith responded 59 seconds later with a rebound goal to tie it again.
“I don’t think (coming back) is ever a problem for us,” Smith said. “We always think we can claw our way back in games. We’ve done it quite a bit this year. We make it difficult on ourselves, but it’s nice to be able to come out of this game with two points.”
The Knights went 2-for-4 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill. They have won 13 of the past 15 meetings with the Jets and five straight in Winnipeg.
Stone’s goal extended his goal streak to five games, the longest of his career. “I think the second period is what got us back on track,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “We defended really well. I think our guys were in a good place even though we were down 2-1. That (Stone) goal gave us some life.”
Cassidy shook up the forward lines to start the game, putting Marner between Pavel Dorofeyev and Stone on the second line, and Hertl between Howden and Keegan Kolesar on the third. The third line created the tying goal when Kolesar and Hertl won puck battles along the boards before Howden scored.
Winnipeg defenseman Haydn Fleury was taken off the ice on a stretcher and transported to the hospital after crashing into the boards in the first period. He was alert and moving his extremities, but Jets coach Scott Arniel said Fleury would stay in the hospital overnight.
