The Vegas Golden Knights snapped their three-game pointless streak but were unable to make their way back into the win column after losing 5-4 in a shootout to the St. Louis Blues Monday afternoon at T-Mobile Arena.
The Golden Knights scored two goals late in the third period with the goalie pulled to force extra time but then fell short in the shootout. Vegas has now lost four consecutive games and six out of its last seven, going 1-5-1 in that stretch.
Adin Hill gave up four goals on 28 shots for an .857 save percentage, with two of those goals coming in the final minute of a period. Jack Eichel and Pavel Dorofeyev each recorded a goal and an assist, and Shea Theodore assisted on all four Vegas tallies.
The Golden Knights got off to another slow start, and they never led in the contest.
Blues captain Brayden Schenn opened the scoring at 8:25 of the first with a laser from the top of the circle; though it was a difficult shot to track, it’s likely one Hill would like to have back.
The Golden Knights later evened the score on their first power play of the game.
The red-hot Tomas Hertl potted his team-leading ninth power-play goal of the season, as his excellent play — particularly in front of the net — reared its head once again. Hertl later tried a between-the-legs move in front of Blues netminder Jordan Binnington but was unable to get enough elevation on the shot.
The first of two back-breaking goals late in a period came courtesy of Nathan Walker, who beat Hill with just 17 seconds on the clock in the first. Walker was left alone in front, where he put home a rebound despite Hill’s diving effort.
The Blues extended their lead to 3-1 when Jake Neighbours beat Hill short-side at 6:31 of the middle frame. It was a great shot, though Hill was beaten cleanly.
But less than a minute later, Brett Howden spun in the slot before finding twine for the 16th time this season but just the first time in 2025.
The Golden Knights appeared to be headed to intermission trailing 3-2, but a tripping penalty on Alexander Holtz set up a St. Louis power play with 58 seconds left. Once again, the Blues scored late, this time in the final 31 seconds of the period. Cam Fowler’s point shot was his fifth goal since joining St. Louis in mid-December.
Despite the fact that Vegas was in control for most of the period, the Blues took a two-goal lead into the second intermission.
It took most of the third, but Vegas struck twice with the goalie pulled, converting two 6-on-5 opportunities to force overtime.
The first came with 3:10 remaining in regulation. It was an absolute rocket by Eichel, who beat Binnington for his 57th point of the year.
But the Golden Knights weren’t finished, as Dorofeyev notched his 20th of the year in the final 30 seconds of regulation, helping Vegas claim a much-needed point. This time, it was a one-timer launched from the other side of the zone.
Eichel then had a glorious chance in overtime but was unable to cash in on the empty-net opportunity. He scored in the shootout, but the Golden Knights were unable to secure the second point.
The Golden Knights came up short once again, committing unforced errors that cost them in the end.
“There’s a lot of different areas of our game that are self-inflicted,” Bruce Cassidy said after the game. “I thought we left some plays on the table. … I believe when we start making those [plays], the self-inflicted stuff will go away because everything won’t be magnified because we’ll be playing better offensively.”
In addition to issues in the offensive end, Vegas struggled to defend the Blues in transition. In addition, Hill was not sharp, which Cassidy highlighted in his post-game interview.
“We need better play out of the goaltending position right now,” he said. “We can’t expect to give up four [goals] and win. … We need to outplay their guy a little more often here.”
Goaltending is not the reason Vegas is stuck in this current slump, though Hill simply wasn’t good enough against the Blues.
As a result, Vegas remains stuck at 29 wins but is still in first place in the Pacific Division with a one-point edge over the Oilers, who have a game in hand (but who will be without Connor McDavid for the next three games due to suspension).
The Golden Knights will get another crack at the Blues when they complete the home-and-home Thursday in St. Louis. From there, Vegas will have a quick turnaround, with a matchup in Dallas set for Friday. The Golden Knights will wrap up the month with three straight home games.