Mitch Marner delivered his most complete performance of the series when it mattered most, scoring twice and adding an assist in the Golden Knights’ 5-1 series-clinching win over the Utah Mammoth at Delta Center on Friday.
Marner’s three-point night included the game-winning goal, which came on a nearly three-minute shift, and he also set up Brett Howden’s first-period tally. Howden finished with four goals in the final three games of the series.
“It was his best game of the series,” coach John Tortorella said. “He just looked comfortable.”
The 29-year-old winger, acquired via sign-and-trade from Toronto on July 1 on an eight-year, $96 million deal, had been productive throughout the series with seven points in six games. But he had not scored a goal in Games 5-7 of any playoff series since 2019 before Friday.
Marner also recorded the primary assist on Howden’s double-overtime short-handed goal in Game 3 and on Howden’s short-handed tally in Game 4.
“It is what I hoped for, for sure,” Marner said. “An opportunity to do something special.”
Marner’s 15 shots in the series were tied for second-most on the team. In Game 6, the Knights held a 10-3 advantage in shot attempts and a 2-0 edge in goals when Marner was on the ice, according to Natural Stat Trick.
“He was great. I think it was probably his best,” forward Colton Sissons said. “He scored some nice goals for us, but he was impactful every time he was on the ice.”
Marner’s regular season with the Knights saw him post 80 points in 81 games, a drop from his 102-point campaign the year prior. But Tortorella noted the small plays that don’t show up on the scoresheet.
“Mitchy’s been doing a lot of little things people don’t understand, some small little plays,” Tortorella said. “He had some big plays that everybody can see. Really good for him for his confidence going into the next series.”
The Knights now face the Anaheim Ducks in the second round. Marner knows the expectations remain high.
“Like I said when I first got here, I knew it was a special group,” he said. “This is what I hoped for. Now there’s a lot more work to keep going.”
