LAS VEGAS — The Vegas Golden Knights didn’t bring their best game into Friday’s matinee with the Ottawa Senators, but when it mattered most, they found a way to stay undefeated in their own barn.
The Golden Knights scored three goals in a span of 1:11 late in the third period to overcome a one-goal deficit and defeat Ottawa 6-4.
Vegas, which moved into a first place tie in the Calgary Flames, both with 11 points, improved to 5-0-0 at home.
“You’re going to win games through the course of 82 games where you’re not at your best, and we weren’t,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. “I’m not going to sugar coat it … we were awful at times, but at the end of the day, you got to get to your game sooner or later, and it started to come.”
Though they seemingly kept pace with a spry Senators team that took an early 2-0 lead, and had an answer every time Vegas tied the game, the Golden Knights didn’t play their best hockey until the waning moments of the game.
Tomas Hertl scored a power play goal at the 16:49 mark of the third period to tie the game at 4-all and one minute later it was Keegan Kolesar giving the Knights a one-goal lead when his wrister from the left dot found its way into the top shelf above Ottawa goaltender Linus Ullmark’s right shoulder.
“Good teams find a way to close them out, to come back,” Kolesar said. “Good teams find a way. For us, the biggest thing we can take away from this is let’s be ready to start. Let’s not play catch up.”
Ivan Barbashev’s empty-net goal with 1:46 left in the game, an empty-netter, sealed the victory for Vegas.
Nic Roy and Nic Hague also scored for the Golden Knights, while netminder Adin Hill stopped 35 shots.
Alex Pietrangelo had three assists, while Mark Stone, Jack Eichel and Tanner Pearson each added two helpers.
Stone’s team-high 14 points ranks second in the NHL, while Eichel is tied with five others who have 13.