Pacioretty scores in OT to lift Vegas past Wild, 5-4

LAS VEGAS – Max Pacioretty scored twice, including the game-winner in overtime, to lift the Vegas Golden Knights to a 5-4 win over the Minnesota Wild on Monday night.

The Golden Knights erased a third-period, two-goal deficit to earn the victory in a matchup between the West Division’s top two teams.

After Alex Tuch scored the tying goal with 42 seconds left in regulation, it was Pacioretty punching home the game-winner after Vegas captain Mark Stone fed him with his fifth primary assist of the game.

Cody Glass and Nic Hague also scored for Vegas. Marc-Andre Fleury, making his ninth straight start, made 26 saves and improved to 10-3-0 after tying a season-high four goals allowed. Fleury has won both games he’s allowed four goals.

Marcus Foligno scored twice, and Jordan Greenway and Nick Bonino scored for Minnesota. Cam Talbot made 34 saves and dropped to 4-3-0 this season.

The Golden Knights trailed 4-2 when Hague got them within one midway through the third period on a one-timer from the top that Talbot had no chance of stopping.

Glass opened the scoring in the second period when he deflected Stone’s perfectly placed pass into the net for his third goal of the season. All three of Glass’ goals have been on the power play.

The lead didn’t last long as Greenway followed his own shot and buried a rebound Fleury couldn’t freeze in time, tying the game at 1-all.

A little more than a minute later it was Foligno crashing the crease, where he deflected Jonas Brodin’s centring pass from his right skate, to his left knee, and into the net. It was Foligno’s sixth point in his last seven games.

Vegas got its second power-play goal of the night when Chandler Stephenson, Stone, and Pacioretty played tic-tac-toe with an impressive display of passing in front of Talbot. Camped out to the left of Talbot, Pacioretty buried Stone’s pass with the equalizer.

Minnesota took a two-goal lead with a pair of scores 19 seconds apart.

First, it was Bonino taking advantage of Vegas’ inability to clear the puck, as he grabbed the loose puck in front of Fleury and went top shelf. Foligno netted his second of the game when he skated in alone on the left side and beat Fleury far side over his glove.

SCORING FLURRY

Minnesota’s four-goal second period marked the first time this season the Golden Knights allowed four goals in a period. It was just the fourth time the Wild outscored an opponent in the second period.

UP NEXT

Minnesota and Vegas wrap up their two-game set Wednesday night.