Mitch Marner scored two objectives and had an help because the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Utah Mammoth 5-1 to clinch their first-round Western Convention playoff sequence in Recreation 6 on Friday in Salt Lake Metropolis.
It was the sixth profession three-point playoff recreation for Marner, tying his postseason excessive. Brett Howden scored a objective for the third straight recreation and Colton Sissons and Cole Smith additionally scored objectives for Vegas, which superior to the second spherical of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the sixth time in its nine-year historical past.
Carter Hart made 21 saves for the Golden Knights, who will face the Geese within the Western Convention semifinals. Anaheim eradicated the two-time defending convention champion Edmonton Oilers in six video games.
Kailer Yamamoto scored a objective and Karel Vejmelka completed with 21 saves for Utah, which was enjoying its first playoff sequence for the reason that franchise moved from Arizona in April 2024.
Vegas took a 1-0 lead on the 15:02 mark of the primary interval. Marner’s shot from the excessive slot caromed off the top boards straight to Howden parked alone by the left submit. Howden swept in a shot for his fourth objective in three video games.
The Golden Knights got here inside inches of doubling the lead early within the second interval. Tomas Hertl’s try from the left circle squeaked previous Vejmelka and was inside inches of the objective line earlier than the Mammoth goalie reached again and knocked it away.
Marner made it 2-0 with 44.1 seconds left within the second interval. His first objective of the playoffs, a slap shot from the highest of the suitable circle, went previous Vejmelka’s glove facet and contained in the far left nook.
It snapped a 10-game objective drought within the playoffs for Marner that dated again to final season, when he was enjoying for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Utah reduce the deficit to 2-1 with 12:19 remaining within the third interval when Yamamoto got here down the suitable wing and snapped a shot previous Hart’s stick facet.
Vegas restored the two-goal margin simply 1:58 later when Sissons shoveled the rebound of a Brayden McNabb level shot previous Vejmelka’s stick facet.
Marner sealed the win by netting a power-play objective with 7:51 to go, ripping in a rebound of a Shea Theodore shot from the low slot.
Utah pulled Vejmelka for an additional attacker with 4:15 left, and Smith added an empty-netter from inside his personal blue line with 3:36 remaining to finish the scoring.
–Area Degree Media
