Hill makes 46 saves as Golden Knights top Devils in shootout thriller
LAS VEGAS (AP) - Shea Theodore scored in the fourth round of a shootout to give the Vegas Golden Knights a 4-3 win over the New Jersey Devils on Friday night.
Jonathan Marchessault had two goals and an assist, and Jack Eichel also scored for Western Conference-leading Vegas, which won for the eighth time in 11 games (8-1-2). Adin Hill had a career-high 46 saves.
Tonight was kind of a playoff-type game," Hill said. I'm glad we got the win. They have some good players and a lot of skill in their lineup. They're a fast team."
Coach Bill Cassidy said the Golden Knights weren't initially ready to handle the Devils' speed, which showed as they were outshot 16-4 in the first period as Vegas fell behind 2-1.
Tonight we weren't prepared to play, but Adin sure was," Cassidy said. It was a great performance. Good for Adin, he was really on tonight."
Dawson Mercer, Jesper Bratt and Miles Wood scored goals for New Jersey, which is 9-2-2 in its last 13 games. Akira Schmid had 25 saves.
After an overtime period in which New Jersey outshot Vegas 8-0, the first seven shooters in the tiebreaker were stopped before Theodore beat Schmid for the win.
Wood tied the score 3-3 with 7:07 left in the third as he converted the rebound of his own shot in front after a centering pass from Jesper Boqvist.
Eichel had given the Golden Knights the lead 3:47 into the third as beat Schmid through the five-hole after a pass from Marchessault on a 2-on-1 rush.
Marchessault got Vegas on the scoreboard first 7:48 into the game as he got his 400th career point (178 goals, 222 assists).
Bratt tied it 1-1 on a power play as he got his 25th of the season with 4:44 left in the first and Mercer put the Devils ahead with 28 seconds left in the opening period as he scored for the eighth straight game.
I liked the way we started the game," Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. But their goalie made a couple of big saves."
Marchessault tied it 2-2 with his 19th of the season with 7:10 remaining in the second.
NOTES
Mercer's eight-game goal streak is the longest in the league this year. ... The Golden Knights have won eight straight games at home, with their last loss coming Jan. 19, a 3-2 defeat to Detroit. ... Knights forward William Carrier left the game near the end of the first period with what Cassidy called a lower body injury." Cassidy he'd have a better idea of Carrier's status on Saturday. ... It was the Knights' fourth overtime in their last six games. ... The Devils remained one of only two teams - along with Toronto - that hasn't been shut out this season.
UP NEXT
Devils: At Arizona on Sunday to finish a three-game trip.
Golden Knights: Host Montreal on Sunday to finish a three-game homestand.
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