In Game 4, Pavel Dorofeyev rode the pine for most of the third period in a tie game. In Game 5, he capped off a hat trick by scoring the game-tying goal with just 52 seconds remaining in regulation. That’s hockey.
And yet, somehow, Dorofeyev’s heroics aren’t the story as the Vegas Golden Knights topped the Utah Mammoth 5-4 in double overtime. Instead, that honor lies with Brett Howden and his second shorthanded goal in two games.
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Both teams played a tight first period, and shots were tied at seven apiece. The Golden Knights had more scoring chances, but the Mammoth generated the edge in high-danger chances with four.
The Mammoth opened the scoring at 17:11 in the first. Nick Schmaltz won an offensive zone draw back for John Marino, who switched places with Clayton Keller and drifted down towards the goal line. Keller fired a shot wide, and Marino snapped the rebound into the net.
Two minutes later, the Golden Knights found the equalizer on the power play. Kevin Stenlund got a stick on Jack Eichel’s pass attempt, and the puck flipped up into the air. It landed on the stick of Tomáš Hertl, who found Pavel Dorofeyev all alone in the right circle for his second of the postseason.
The Mammoth were the better team in the second period, generating 12 scoring chances against the Golden Knights’ nine. However, they went into the second intermission with a 3-2 lead after scoring two quick goals to end the period.
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The Mammoth regained the lead at 10:40 in the second. Mikhail Sergachev fired a shot around the boards, and Clayton Keller got to the loose puck first. Keller found Lawson Crouse all alone in the slot, and the winger beat Carter Hart over the blocker.
The Golden Knights tied the game at 15:37 in the second. Jack Eichel won an offensive zone face-off, and Ivan Barbashev chipped the puck back for Shea Theodore. Theodore avoided the pressure of Kevin Stenlund, danced below the goal line, and dropped a pass to Pavel Dorofeyev; Dorofeyev roofed it for his second of the game.
Just 1:40 later, the Golden Knights took their first lead of the night. Mark Stone intercepted Karel Vejmelka’s clearing attempt and sent the puck to Shea Theodore at the point. The defenseman stepped into the slot and wired a shot home for his second goal in two games.
Down by a goal, the Mammoth pressed hard in the third period. They outshot the Golden Knights 10-7 and generated eight scoring chances while holding Vegas to four.
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The Mammoth scored the equalizer just 5:54 into the third. Kevin Stenlund won a defensive zone draw, and MacKenzie Weegar chipped the puck forward to Dylan Guenther. Guenther crossed over and left the puck for Kailer Yamamoto, who blew past Noah Hanifin and entered the zone on a 2-on-1 with Guenther. Yamamoto got the pass across, and Guenther wired it home short-side.
The Mammoth took the lead at 12:42 in the third. The Golden Knights gave up yet another 2-on-1, this time with Alexander Kerfoot and Michael Carcone against Jeremy Lauzon, and Carcone finished it off.
Despite trailing in the third period, there was no panic on the Golden Knights’ bench.
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“I think the resiliency of our group has been something that we’ve prided ourselves on throughout the entire season. We never feel like we’re out of a game,” said Jack Eichel postgame. “I think we did a great job of fighting back and finding a way to score one late.”
The Golden Knights pulled Carter Hart for the extra attacker and tied the game with 53 seconds remaining in regulation. Karel Vejmelka made the save on Jack Eichel’s one-timer from the half wall, but Pavel Dorofeyev got to the loose puck in front of the net and completed the hat trick.
Both teams had their fair share of scoring chances in overtime. Carter Hart made a ten-bell save on Clayton Keller; Karel Vejmelka denied Tomáš Hertl’s one-timer on the power play. But for the first time in the entire series, neither team scored a goal in a period.
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Just 3:42 into double overtime, Reilly Smith took an offensive zone penalty. But as they have all series, the Golden Knights’ penalty kill stood strong. Karel Vejmelka denied Jack Eichel on a shorthanded breakaway, but the Golden Knights scored moments later.
Deep in the attacking zone, Mitch Marner and Brett Howden forced a turnover. The puck ended up on Howden’s stick, and he stepped into the slot and wired a wrister that beat Vejmelka far-side and gave his team a 3-2 lead in the series.
“Mitch did a really good job,” said Howden following the 5-4 win. “It’s kind of like the other night on the PK. He did a good job of getting a stick in there, interrupting the play. [The puck] kind of popped out, and I just tried to get a shot. After that, I just kind of blacked out.“
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