Golden Knights score twice on power play late, rally past Canadiens

MONTREAL -- Jack Eichel and Mark Stone scored power-play goals 44 seconds apart late in the third period, and the Vegas Golden Knights won 6-5 against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre on Thursday.

Eichel, who also had two assists, snapped a wrist shot past Cayden Primeau’s glove at 18:04, and Stone converted on a wraparound at 18:48 after Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher was given a double minor for high-sticking Pavel Dorofeyev at 17:09.

Shea Theodore had a goal and three assists, Stone had a goal and two assists, and Adin Hill made 23 saves for Vegas (13-3-1), which had lost three of four (1-3-0) after going undefeated in regulation through the first 12 games (11-0-1).

“I thought we controlled most of it. Even when we were down, it felt like if we continued to play our structure, we were going to capitalize,” said Stone, the Golden Knights captain. “And I think we just kind of wore them down there in the end. They were playing four or five defensemen in the third, which led to some of those power plays.”

Jesse Ylonen scored twice, Alex Newhook had a goal and an assist, and Nick Suzuki and Mike Matheson each had two assists for Montreal (7-8-2), which lost its third straight to fall below .500 for the first time this season. Primeau made 36 saves.

“We shot ourselves in the foot a lot,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. “We helped them create offense, they didn’t have to go 200 feet often enough. We did some good things, all the same, but there were too many bad things. Against good teams like that, if you trade a good thing for a bad thing, it’s tough to win.”

Newhook scored with a wrist shot from the right circle at 6:43 of the first period to give Montreal a 1-0 lead, and Johnathan Kovacevic made it 2-0 at 10:03 with his first goal since April 8.

The Golden Knights outshot the Canadiens 18-6 in the first period but trailed 2-0 after 20 minutes.

Brett Howden cut it to 2-1 with a short-handed goal at 2:33 of the second period.

Vegas was 3-for-7 on the power play and killed all three Montreal opportunities.

“Special teams were certainly a big difference maker ” Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. “We’ve talked about that being more important for us this year. Last year, we got a lot of wins and it wasn’t always a strength of ours. And this year, especially the kill lately has been excellent. Another short-handed goal to give us some juice. The power play came through at the end, so I’m happy for those guys.”

Ylonen pushed it to 3-1 at 8:28 when he scored on an unassisted breakaway with a wrist shot past Hill’s glove.

“He’s got really quick hands and a great release,” Canadiens forward Jake Evans said. “So, I like the odds when he’s on a breakaway.”

Brayden McNabb drew Vegas to 3-2 just 18 second later at 8:46 when he shot between Primeau’s legs after Theodore’s point shot hit him and fell in the slot.

Jonathan Marchessault tied it 3-3 at 11:20, taking Ivan Barbashev’s pass on a 2-on-1 and one-timing a shot from the right side.

Ylonen put the Canadiens up 4-3 with his second goal of the period at 11:53.

Theodore drew the Golden Knights even for a second time at 4-4 with a power-play goal at 16:07.

“Their goaltender was excellent, so eventually, if you keep putting pucks at him, you’re going to get something to go usually, and that’s how it played out,” Cassidy said.

Justin Barron scored with 54 seconds remaining for the 6-5 final.

“We can’t think we’re too good to make all the small plays,” Evans said.

NOTES: Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj left in the second after Barbashev’s shoulder check at 13:11 sent him flying into the corner boards. He sustained an upper-body injury and did not return. St. Louis did not have an update after the game. ... It was Theodore's second career four-point game and matched the Golden Knights’ record for most points by a defenseman in a game, which he originally set Dec. 19, 2017. … The teams combined for six goals in the second period, one shy of the most by two teams in a period this season (Carolina at Colorado on Oct. 21: seven in the second). … Barron scored the 12th goal by a Canadiens defenseman this season, tying Ottawa and Carolina for the most in the NHL. … Vegas extended its point streak against Montreal to nine games dating to Dec. 22, 2018 (6-0-3), its longest active run against one team.