Golden Knights defeat Rangers in shootout, win fourth in row

NEW YORK -- Brett Howden had a goal and assist for the Vegas Golden Knights in a 3-2 shootout win against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Friday.

The center played the Rangers for first time since they traded him to the Golden Knights on July 17 after three seasons with New York. He has scored four points (one goal, three assists) in his past four games.
"It was a pretty fun night," Howden said. "Obviously I was really happy we got the win. I think I think I'm playing probably some of my better hockey right now. I just want to keep building on that and keep trying to do the right things."

Dylan Coghlan scored, and Laurent Brossoit made 27 saves for the Golden Knights (19-11-0), who won their fourth straight and spoiled Rangers coach Gerard Gallant's first game against the team he coached for three seasons (2017-20). Jonathan Marchessault scored the only goal in the shootout.
"Nothing changed, really," Gallant said. "It wasn't like it was two months ago. It was two years ago. I know a lot of players there very well. It was fun. I enjoyed it. "
Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider each had a goal and an assist, and Alexandar Georgiev made 28 saves for New York (19-7-4) in his 100th NHL start.
Howden gave Vegas a 1-0 lead at 6:49 of the first period when he put in his own rebound with a backhand.
"Real happy for him," Golden Knights coach Peter DeBoer said. "Anytime you're playing against your old team there's always extra motivation, but that doesn't happen by accident. I think he's worked to have the success he's having, and it hasn't been easy, and it hasn't been given to him. He's earning the shifts and the opportunities he's getting."

Zibanejad tied it 1-1 at 17 seconds of the second period when he scored from the top of the left face-off circle. Kreider's power-play goal completed a tic-tac-toe sequence with Zibanejad and Ryan Strome to put New York ahead 2-1 at 10:25. It was Kreider's first goal in six games.
The Rangers outshot Golden Knights 11-4 in the second. Vegas responded with a 10-2 advantage in the third.
"At times it was a bit of a war of attrition," Kreider said. "Their line with Brett Howden did a really good job of pinning us for a few shifts and working us down low. You just have to limit chances, a bend-but-don't-break mentality. The other team's trying to win a hockey game too, so they're going to have a push. They had a pretty good push there in the third."
Coghlan tied it 2-2 at 14:44 of the third period on a deflection of Nicolas Hague's shot.
"The second of a back-to-back and three (games) in four nights for us, so I saw us running out of gas a little bit," DeBoer said. "I really liked our first period. You have to give them credit. I thought Zibanejad's line particularly, really took a step in the second period and they had us on our heels there for a good chunk in the middle of that game."
The Rangers were without forward Artemi Panarin, who is day to day after sustaining a lower-body injury during a 3-2 win at the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday.
NOTES: The Golden Knights are 3-0-0 on a four-game road trip that ends at the New York Islanders on Sunday. … Vegas defenseman Alex Pietrangelo's five-game point streak ended. … Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore played 27:39 after missing a 5-3 win at the New Jersey Devils on Thursday with an illness. … Gallant, hired as Rangers coach June 16, was 118-75-20 with the Golden Knights. He guided them to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season before they lost to the Washington Capitals in five games. He was replaced by DeBoer on Jan. 15, 2020. … Zibanejad has scored at least one point in each of the seven games he's played against Vegas (10 points; six goals, four assists). … Rangers forward Ryan Reaves had six hits in 10:33 facing the Golden Knights for the first time since they traded him to New York on July 29. He played the previous four seasons for Vegas.