{{pageModel.leagueAbbr}} {{pageModel.subtitle}} | Las Vegas Review-Journal
National Hockey League
Vegas 3, Arizona 2
When: 8:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 3, 2017
Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
Referees: Gord Dwyer, T.J. Luxmore
Linesmen: Ryan Galloway, Trent Knorr
Attendance: 17519

LAS VEGAS -- The Vegas Golden Knights remain on a record pace in home games for a team in its inaugural season. And they can thank their play in overtime as a key reason for it.

Reilly Smith's goal with 1:09 left in OT on Sunday gave Vegas a 3-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes at T-Mobile Arena, enabling the Golden Knights to become the first team in NHL history to win 10 of its first 12 home games.

Smith took a pass from Jonathan Marchessault on the edge of the left circle and rifled a shot past Arizona goalie Scott Wedgewood.

The Golden Knights (16-9-1) have won five of their six overtime games -- they lost a shootout at Toronto. They remain a perfect 5-0 when playing three-on-three in the extra five-minute period, including 4-0 at home.

"We've got some good skill players, and they're quick players," Vegas coach Gerard Gallant said of his team's overtime success. "I think when there's open ice, we're a pretty good team with that so far."

The win also snapped a three-game losing streak for Vegas.

"Seriously, I thought we played a great game," Gallant said. "I thought the first two periods was outstanding hockey. (Arizona) played back-to-back games and we had some fresh legs today, and I thought the score shouldn't have been as close as it was. Their goalie played really well. Then in the third period they got some jump and they took it to us a little bit."

Marchessault, who scored his 10th goal of the season in the third period, made sure the Golden Knights went home with two points, deflecting the puck off the boards near center ice to himself, then racing toward the net and sliding a pass to his left to Smith, who slammed home the game-winner.

"He's a guy who takes advantage of his opportunities," Gallant said of Marchessault. "He found that second gear. He was out there late in the shift. Once he saw that open ice, he made a great play to make that pass to Reilly Smith, and Reilly buried it."

Smith said, "(Marchessault) has great vision. I think we were both a little bit tired on that shift, but he saw me coming in and he made a great pass and I was lucky enough to find the back of the net."

Alex Tuch also scored a goal for Vegas while Malcolm Subban had 31 saves to pick up the win.

Jakob Chychrun and Derek Stepan scored for Arizona, which has lost all four of its meetings with the Golden Knights, including two in overtime. Wedgewood, who stopped 28 shots in blanking the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night, had a career-high 42 saves in the Sunday loss for the Coyotes (7-18-5).

"He played great. He got us a point. The guys owe him," Arizona coach Rick Tocchet said of Wedgewood. "We don't have a team that can afford to have passengers, and we had passengers tonight. ... I used the bench, so I don't think it was fatigue."

Vegas grabbed a 1-0 lead early in the second period when Tuch took a long pass from defenseman Colin Miller in the left circle, cut back in front of the net and beat Wedgewood to the glove side.

Arizona came back to tie it when Chychrun, playing his first game since undergoing knee surgery on Aug. 3, was left alone in the left circle and rifled a pass from Max Domi past Subban's stick side.

It took the Golden Knights just 18 seconds into the third period to regain the lead. Wedgewood kicked a save of a Nate Schmidt shot out into the slot, where a wide-open Marchessault blasted in the rebound.

Arizona came back to tie it on a power-play goal by Stepan at the 8:50 mark when the Coyotes center swatted in a rebound of a Domi shot that was spinning in the goal crease.

NOTES: Vegas C William Karlsson tied his career high for points in a season (25) with his assist in the third period. ... Vegas D Deryk Engelland, who sat out Friday at Winnipeg after taking a puck off his right hand a night earlier in Minnesota, returned to the lineup. ... Arizona entered the game tied for second in the NHL with 688 hits. ... Golden Knights G Marc-Andre Fleury, out with a concussion since Oct. 13, has resumed doing individual drills. Coach Gerard Gallant said that barring any setbacks, Fleury could take part in his first full practice on Wednesday. ... Arizona G Antti Raanta missed his sixth straight game with a upper-body injury. ... C Nick Cousins and D Joel Hanley were scratches for Arizona, while D Jon Merrill and D Brad Hunt were scratched by the Golden Knights.
Top Game Performances
 
Arizona   Vegas
Max Domi 2 Points Jonathan Marchessault 2
Jakob Chychrun 1 Goals Jonathan Marchessault 1
Max Domi 2 Assists Jonathan Marchessault 1
Derek Stepan 1 Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Scott Wedgewood .933 Save Percentage Malcolm Subban .939
Scott Wedgewood 42 Saves Malcolm Subban 31
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Arizona 33 2 1-1 0-0 2 28
Vegas 45 3 0-0 0-1 4 43
Upcoming Games
  • Vegas will play their next game at home against Anaheim. The Golden Knights have a W/L % of .667 after a win and .545 after a loss.
  • Arizona will play their next game on the road against Boston. The Coyotes have a W/L % of .250 after a win and .227 after a loss.