Golden Knights start quickly, easily beat Sabres

[February 02, 2022] Jonathan Marchessault, Brett Howden and Mark Stone each had a goal and an assist as the Vegas Golden Knights took over sole possession of first place in the Pacific Division with a 5-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night in Las Vegas.

Reilly Smith and Keegan Kolesar also scored goals for Vegas, which won for just the third time in its last eight home games. William Karlsson and Max Pacioretty each added a pair of assists, while Robin Lehner finished with 30 saves.

Alex Tuch, playing against the Golden Knights for the first time since being traded to Buffalo in November as part of the Jack Eichel trade, scored for the Sabres, as did John Hayden.

Craig Anderson made 30 saves for Buffalo, which was playing its third road game in four nights.

Vegas needed just 33 seconds to take a 1-0 lead, as Smith finished a tic-tac-toe play by tapping in Karlsson's crossing pass into a wide-open right side of the net for his 12th goal of the season and first in 11 games.

Howden made it 2-0 at the 18:19 mark of the period with his seventh goal of the season, picking up a loose puck in the high slot and then firing a wrist shot into the top-left corner of the net. It marked his third straight game with a goal.

The Golden Knights extended their lead to 4-0 early in the second period with two goals in less than three minutes.

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Reilly Smith (19) celebrates after scoring a first period goal against the Buffalo Sabres at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Marchessault got the first on a power play with a wrist shot from the right circle for his team-best 20th goal of the season. Kolesar followed with a shorthanded goal, taking a Howden pass from behind the goal and tapping it into an open right side of the net for his fourth goal of the season. It also was the seventh shorthanded goal of the season for Vegas, tied with Florida for first in the NHL.

Tuch cut it to 4-1 near the end of the period when he snapped a wrist shot from the right circle at the end of a two-on-one rush for his fifth goal of the season.

Stone made it 5-1 early in the third period when he slammed in a Pacioretty pass from in front of the crease for his eighth goal of the season.

Hayden made it 5-2 at the 12:23 mark when he redirected a Tage Thompson shot for his first goal of the season.

--Field Level Media

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