The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Winnipeg Jets 4-3 Friday night at T-Mobile Arena in an entertaining, back-and-forth game.
Brett Howden’s tap-in goal at 15:55 of the third period off a William Karlsson backhand pass proved to be the difference. It broke a 3-3 tie and helped the Golden Knights improve to 16-5-3. The Jets fell to 18-6-0 and have now lost five of their past eight after their historic start.
Jets Open Scoring; Golden Knights Respond With Two Late in First
Cole Perfetti opened the scoring at 6:57 of the first and snapped his 11-game goal drought by deflecting a Josh Morrissey shot past Adin Hill. However, the Golden Knights scored twice late in the frame to take a 2-1 lead into the first intermission.
First, Howden, who recently signed a five-year contract extension, absolutely blew by Logan Stanley in the neutral zone after a Morgan Barron turnover and cut to the backhand while in all alone to score on Eric Comrie at 18:13. Then, with just 15 seconds left, Ivan Barbishev smacked home a rebound off a Pavel Dorofeyev shot.
Brett Howden ties his career high with his ninth goal of the season! ⚔️
And what a gorgeous goal it was! #NHLStats: https://t.co/ZWKP8a40KC pic.twitter.com/nzvgMjYgnS
— NHL (@NHL) November 30, 2024
Jets Lose Ehlers to Injury in Second, Perfetti Scores Again
Nikolaj Ehlers suffered an apparent ankle or foot injury early in the second while checking Dorofeyev into the boards. He came out for a Jets’ power play, but left the zone clearly ailing and frustrated even while the Jets had puck possession. He did not return.
The Jets tied the game 2-2 at 14:30 when Perfetti scored his second of the game, ripping home a big rebound off a Morrissey shot to finish off a three-on-two rush.
Teams Trade Goals Again Third, Howden Plays Hero
The Golden Knights retook the lead at 4:43 of the third when Barbishev took a Jack Eichel pass in the slot and wired it home for his second of the game. The Jets tied the game again at 8:55 when Neal Pionk wristed a shot in from the point through a bunch of traffic.
After Howden’s goal made it 4-3, the Jets had a power play and pulled Comrie to make it a six-on-four advantage for a time, but despite some good pressure, could not find the equalizer.
Notes & Observations
The Jets have now lost eight-straight games to the Golden Knights dating back to the 2023 playoffs.
Defenseman Dylan Coghlan made his Jets debut after being a healthy scratch for 21-straight games. Fellow defenseman Stanley returned to the lineup after missing eight games due to an injury.
The game featured the NHL’s two best power plays (the Jets in first and Golden Knights in second.) However, neither team could convert, with the Jets going zero for three and the Golden Knights going zero for two.
The shots were 30-25 in favour of the Golden Knights.
Howden, with his two goals, reached a new career high with 10.
The game was the first in five for the Jets that the result did not result in a 4-1 final.
The Golden Knights are back in action tomorrow, Nov. 30 as they welcome Utah Hockey Club to Sin City for the second game of their three-game homestand. The Jets are back in action Sunday, Dec. 1 as they face the Dallas Stars in the final game of their season-long six-game road trip.
