William Karlsson and Ivan Barbashev scored 47 seconds apart in the second period and the Vegas Golden Knights held on for a 4-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday night to take a 3-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.
The Golden Knights could eliminate Winnipeg in Game 5 of the best-of-seven series on Thursday night in Las Vegas. Teams that take a 3-1 lead in a best-of-seven series hold a series record of 299-31.
Winnipeg lost more than the game when veteran star centre Mark Scheifele left the ice early in the first period and the team announced he wouldn’t return because of an upper-body injury. He joined a growing list of injured teammates that includes all-star defenseman Josh Morrissey (injured in Game 3) and speedy forward Nikolaj Ehlers, who hasn’t competed in the playoffs.
Laurent Brossoit #39 of the Vegas Golden Knights makes a save off Pierre-Luc Dubois #80 of the Winnipeg Jets in the first period of Game Four of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 24, 2023, at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (Jason Halstead/Getty Images)
Manitoba-born forward Brett Howden scored twice for the Golden Knights, including one into an empty net. Chandler Stephenson and Shea Theodore each had two assists. Laurent Brossoit made 24 saves.
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Blake Wheeler had a goal and assist and Pierre-Luc Dubois also scored for Winnipeg. Neal Pionk added two assists, extending his point streak to seven assists in four games. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 26 of the 29 shots he faced for Winnipeg.
The score was 1-all after the first period and 3-1 in favor of Vegas following the second.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS GET 2OT WIN AFTER SQUANDERING THREE-GOAL LEAD IN THIRD PERIOD
Scheifele had fans cheering and then worrying in a matter of minutes.
On a breakaway about two-and-a-half minutes into the game, Scheifele took a close shot that Brossoit stopped, and then got tripped up and crashed into the end boards on his left side. He got up and continued skating and was on the ice for a Winnipeg power play. When he tried to fire a shot from inside the circle, it didn’t have a lot of power behind it and he appeared to immediately clutch his right arm. He skated to the bench and left the game at 5:11.
Scheifele led the Jets in goals in the regular season with a career-best 42. He had one goal in the playoffs.
Shea Theodore #27 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrates with teammates on the bench after a goal by teammate Ivan Barbashev #49 during action against the Winnipeg Jets in the second period of Game Four of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 24, 2023, at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (Jason Halstead/Getty Images)
Wheeler beat Brossoit with the man advantage at 5:53.
Not long after, Howden, who was born in Oakbank, Manitoba, scored the tying goal exactly four minutes later. His first shot was blocked and he got the loose puck and put it past Hellebuyck.
The Golden Knights boosted their lead to 3-1 in the second period with Karlsson’s goal at 13:32, followed by Barbashev with a tip of Theodore’s shot at 14:19.
Dubois made it 3-2 on a power play with a bouncing puck that went high in the air off Alex Pietrangelo’s stick and down beside Brossoit and into the net at 2:53 of the third.
(L-R) Chandler Stephenson #20, Shea Theodore #27 and Ivan Barbashev #49 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrate Barbashev’s goal during action against the Winnipeg Jets in the second period of Game Four of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 24, 2023, at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Jason Halstead/Getty Images)
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NOTES
Stephenson’s two assists gave him multiple points in three straight games. He became the fourth player in Golden Knights’ history to record multiple points in three or more consecutive playoff games. … Vegas forward Phil Kessel played in his 100th career playoff game. … Winnipeg defenseman Logan Stanley took Morrissey’s roster spot. … Jets backup goalie David Rittich (lower body) missed the game. He was replaced with emergency AHL call-up Arvid Holm.
