The Vegas Golden Knights beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-2 on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena, with Mark Stone recording a goal and two assists to lead a three-goal first period that put the game away early. The win pushed Vegas to 8-2-0, the best record in the Pacific Division, while Pittsburgh fell to 3-5-1.
Vegas scored three times in the opening 18 minutes, chasing any doubt about the outcome before the first intermission. Rasmus Andersson opened the scoring just 1:06 into the game off assists from Jack Eichel and Stone, and Noah Hanifin made it 2-0 at 4:02 on the same combination. Stone capped the period with his own goal at 17:46, assisted by Trevor Connelly and Mitch Marner. Sidney Crosby led Pittsburgh with a tip-in goal, and Tommy Novak finished with two assists for the Penguins’ top offensive output of the night.
Key Moments: How Vegas Pulled Away
Vegas never trailed and built its lead methodically across all three periods. After the 3-0 first-period cushion, Crosby got Pittsburgh on the board 5:54 into the second period on a tip-in assisted by Novak and Erik Karlsson. Vegas answered just 71 seconds later when Connelly scored unassisted to restore a three-goal margin. Shea Theodore added a power-play goal at 11:17 of the second, assisted by Brayden McNabb and Marner, making it 5-1 heading to the third.
Evgeni Malkin scored on a poke shot at 4:43 of the third, assisted by Novak and Ville Koivunen, cutting the margin to 5-2. Brett Howden closed the scoring with an unassisted goal at 17:47 for the 6-2 final. Vegas finished 1-for-1 on the power play while Pittsburgh also converted its lone power-play chance, but the Golden Knights’ five-on-five output decided the game.
Player Of The Game: Mark Stone
Mark Stone finished with a goal and two assists for three points, the top individual output in the game. He factored into three of Vegas’ six goals, including the third-period dagger sequence that began in the first period. Jack Eichel also had a multi-point night with two assists, while Mitch Marner picked up two helpers of his own.
Golden Knights Vs. Penguins By The Numbers
Vegas outshot Pittsburgh 19-24 but outhit the Penguins 27-10, controlling physical play despite fewer shots. Vegas goaltender Adin Hill stopped 22 of 24 shots for a .917 save percentage, while Pittsburgh’s Sergei Murashov allowed five goals on 19 shots for a .737 save percentage in the loss. Vegas also won 55.8% of faceoffs compared to Pittsburgh’s 44.2%, giving the home team more control of puck possession. Both teams finished with three total penalties and nine penalty minutes.
What It Means
The win keeps Vegas atop the Pacific Division with 16 points, two ahead of second-place Edmonton. Pittsburgh sits sixth in the Metropolitan Division with seven points, three behind the fifth-place New Jersey Devils. According to the official season series data, Vegas now leads the season series with Pittsburgh 1-0.
What’s Next
Pittsburgh continues its road trip looking to snap a stretch that has produced five losses this season, including Saturday’s defeat. Vegas will look to build on its 8-2-0 start as it continues Pacific Division play.
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