Golden Knights top Blues in OT, move closer to clinching first

LAS VEGAS --Jonathan Marchessault scored his second goal of the game 22 seconds into overtime to give the Vegas Golden Knights a 4-3 win against the St. Louis Blues at T-Mobile Arena on Friday.

WATCH: [All Blues vs. Golden Knights highlights]
The Golden Knights (49-22-7) lead the San Jose Sharks by seven points for first place in the Pacific Division. Each team has four games remaining, with Vegas hosting San Jose on Saturday. The Golden Knights can clinch the division title by getting one point against San Jose.
"Someone told me we're one point away from clinching the division," Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant said. "That's what the goal is. Let's keep battling hard, playing hard."

William Karlsson had a goal and two assists, and James Neal scored for Vegas, which is 2-1-2 in its past five games.
Patrik Berglund, Brayden Schenn and Chris Thorburn scored for the Blues, who lost for the first time in seven games.
"We fought hard," St. Louis coach Mike Yeo said. "This is a really good hockey team, and it was going to be a close game. So not surprised to see it go to overtime, and obviously you get into 3-on-3 hockey and anything can happen out there."
The Blues (43-28-6) and Colorado Avalanche each have 92 points, but St. Louis holds the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference because it has played one fewer game. The Blues trail the Anaheim Ducks by one point for the first wild card.
Marchessault carried the puck into the St. Louis zone, circled back toward the blue line, and beat goalie Jake Allen (22 saves) with a wrist shot from above the circles to win it.
"It's that time of year," said Marchessault, who has five goals and five assists in a seven-game point streak. "We played well and had good intensity. I think we played well, supported each other. A lot of positives."
Malcolm Subban made 21 saves for his 12th win of the season. Marc-Andre Fleury is expected to start in net Saturday.

"Every time you get in there, you get nervous trying to live up to [Fleury's] standards," Subban said. "The boys played well in front of me tonight and made it easy on me."
Berglund beat Subban 2:54 into the game to give the Blues a 1-0 lead.
Karlsson took a stretch pass from Cody Eakin and scored on a breakaway for his third shorthanded goal of the season to tie it 1-1 at 6:18. It was Karlsson's 41st goal, four behind Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals for the NHL lead.
Marchessault gave the Golden Knights a 2-1 lead at 13:31 with his first of the night, but Schenn scored his first goal since March 17 to tie it 2-2 at 16:09.
Vegas took a 3-2 lead at 16:35 of the second period on Neal's 25th goal, his first in 13 games dating to Feb. 8.
"I think sometimes, when you go into slumps coming back from injury, you just want to get your legs under you. When you're not getting chances or the looks, you've got to do something different," Neal said. "I felt the past three games I was getting better looks, better shots. I felt like I was going to get something."
Thorburn scored at 6:14 of the third period to tie it 3-3. It was his first goal in 83 games dating to Dec. 11, 2016.

Goal of the game

Marchessault's goal 22 seconds into overtime.

Save of the game

Subban stopping Colton Parayko at 6:16 of the second period.

Highlight of the game

Karlsson's goal at 6:18 of the first period.

They said it

"It's going to be a tough back-to-back now. We're going to have to really respond to this challenge, you know, being short on D, having to use guys a little extra tonight. Whoever we throw in there tomorrow, we'll have to make sure they're ready to go, and as a group we'll have to be, like I said, ready to respond." -- Blues coach Mike Yeo on their game at the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday after defenseman Jordan Schmaltz was injured in the first period
"It would be great for our fans. They've been awesome all year. To get the win and clinch the Pacific would be awesome. Whomever we face, I just think we need to play. Tomorrow's going to be a good game." -- Golden Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault on the possibility of clinching the division at home against the Sharks

Need to know

Schmaltz left the game at 17:40 of the first with an upper-body injury. … St. Louis forward Scottie Upshall had an assist in 8:37 after missing the previous 10 games with a sprained MCL … Neal has scored at least 25 goals in five of 10 NHL seasons.

What's next

Blues: At the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday (9 p.m. ET; FS-A PLUS, FS-MW, NHL.TV)
Golden Knights: Host the San Jose Sharks on Saturday (10:30 p.m. ET; ATTSN-RM, NBCSCA, NHL.TV)