LAS VEGAS — The Golden Knights won for the sixth time in seven games when they defeated the Vancouver Canucks, 3-1, on Thursday night.
Alex Pietrangelo, William Karlsson and Brett Howden scored for Vegas, while goaltender Adin Hill stopped 19 shots to improve to 14-5-2.
Vegas, with 45 points, extended its lead in the Pacific Division to three in front of second-place Los Angeles.
The Golden Knights are now two points behind NHL-leading Winnipeg, tied with New Jersey for the second-most points in the league.
Here are three takeaways from Thursday’s win:
KILLERS – Vancouver arrived in Vegas with the league’s fifth-best road power play but finished 0 for 2 with a man advantage against the Golden Knights. Vegas has allowed just one power-play goal in its last seven games, and two in its last 11. In that span, the Golden Knights are 18 for 20 with their PK.
“Obviously, went over lots of their power plays and the looks they like to have,” Howden said. “Ultimately, I thought we did a good job of staying up on them and limiting them.”
THE SAVE – Not too long after the Canucks took a 1-0 lead in the first period, Hill made a highlight-reel save that kept the score intact while checking Vancouver’s momentum at the door.
After battling for the puck behind the net, to Hill’s right, Canucks wing Conor Garland got the puck to center Dakota Joshua, who dropped it off for Pius Suter at the doorstep. But Suter’s trigger wasn’t denied when Hill sprawled backward to his left to deny the shot.
“You’re tracking the puck with your eyes, so when the pass went out to the guy who then slid it across, I know that the guy is backdoor, but I have to kind of respect the shot,” Hill said. “Just playing my position and a little desperation there.”
THIRD PERIOD DOMINATION – The Golden Knights remain the best team in the league in the third period with a plus-21 goal differential after outscoring Vancouver 2-0 in the final frame on Thursday.
The Golden Knights have outscored opponents during the third period in 15 of their 32 games, per Stathead.com, with a 44-23 scoring edge.
