LAK@VGK: Toffoli scores OT winner on breakaway

LAS VEGAS -- Tyler Toffoli scored at 1:40 of overtime to give the Los Angeles Kings their third straight win, 4-3 against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on Sunday.

Toffoli received a stretch pass from Oscar Fantenberg in the middle of a change between Vegas defensemen Nate Schmidt and Shea Theodore, got behind Theodore, and shot high for his first goal in 19 games.
"I've been getting some good opportunities," Toffoli said. "I thought my game was really in a good place. Hopefully, we can go on a little streak here and keep winning games, which is huge for us right now."
WATCH: [All Kings vs. Golden Knights highlights]
Schmidt said the loss was his fault.
"Squandered. I [messed] up there in the overtime," Schmidt said. "Stupid change. Second game in a row we lose a point for stupidity. It was dumb. I feel bad for [Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury] and our guys."

LAK@VGK: Carter pots rebound for PPG

Michael Amadio, Alex Iafallo and Jeff Carter scored for the Kings (14-20-3), who were coming off a 3-2 overtime win at the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. Cal Petersen made 22 saves.
Los Angeles has won the first two games of the season against Vegas after being swept by the Golden Knights in the Western Conference First Round last season.
"Anytime you're playing a team in your division (Pacific), your goal is to beat them," Toffoli said. "We've played well both times against them. That was a really big game for us going into the break, and it's a really good feeling right now."
Tomas Nosek, Reilly Smith and Ryan Reaves scored, and Fleury made 28 saves for the Golden Knights (20-15-4), who lost 4-3 in overtime to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. Vegas is on eight-game point streak at home (6-0-2).
Fleury started after making 43 saves on 47 shots against Montreal.
"I felt decent, actually. It's a grind sometimes," Fleury said. "We've done it throughout this year, and it's no reason for losing the game."
Nosek scored at 10:10 of the first period to give the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead.
Amadio tied it 1-1 at 3:32 of the second period, but Smith scored at 10:01 to give Vegas a 2-1 lead.
Iafallo scored 2:51 later to tie it 2-2 at 12:52.
Carter gave the Kings a 3-2 lead with a power-play goal at 2:06 of the third period, but Reaves tied it 3-3 when he scored on the power play at 6:55.
The Kings go into the Christmas break last in the Western Conference, eight points behind the Edmonton Oilers for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"The division games are huge," Toffoli said. "Huge points right now. [We're] not as far away as everyone thinks."

EA Sports Overtime Winner: Toffoli wins it for Kings

They said it

"We're in a hole right now, so whoever we play, we want to win and we need points. It doesn't matter if it's Vegas or any other team." -- Kings captain Anze Kopitar
"It's too bad it happened like that, because we dominated the first part of overtime. [Defenseman Nate Schmidt] wasn't the reason we lost the game. We didn't show up the first two periods again, and we've got to show up a lot better than that." -- Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant

Need to know

The Kings have won three straight games against Pacific Division teams, two against the Golden Knights (5-1 at home Dec. 8). … Kopitar remains two goals from 300 in the NHL. … Kings forward Nikita Scherbak played 6:55 in place of forward Austin Wagner, who was injured on an illegal check to the head by Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson on Saturday. … Each of the Golden Knights' past three overtime losses have come on the opponent's first shot. … Vegas forward Brandon Pirri had an assist on Reaves' goal and had at least one point in each of his first three NHL games this season (three goals, one assist). He was sent down to Chicago of the American Hockey League after the game. … Golden Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault had an assist on Smith's goal and is four from 100 in the NHL. ... Referee Wes McCauley officiated his 1,000th NHL game.

What's next

Kings:Host the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday (10:30 p.m. ET; FS-W, FS-A, NHL.TV)
Golden Knights: Host the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday (10 p.m. ET; ATTSN-RM, ALT, NHL.TV)

Toffoli scores in OT as Kings top Golden Knights