The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Seattle Kraken 4-1 last night to close the regular season and clinch the Pacific Division title with 95 points. Reilly Smith scored twice in the third period and added an assist for a three-point night. Carter Hart stopped 22 of 23 shots. Vegas enters the playoffs on a three-game winning streak.
Knight of the Night
Reilly Smith
Smith scored twice in the third period and added an assist on Shea Theodore's equalizer, finishing with 3 points on a snap shot, a wrist shot, and 16 goals on the season to close the regular season as Vegas's most complete forward on the night.
Carter Hart Holds the Line Until Vegas Found Its Game
Vegas played slow early, and Tortorella said as much. Seattle, the faster team in the first 25 minutes, generated sustained neutral-zone pressure and converted Shane Wright's snap shot at 2:24 of the second to take a 1-0 lead. The Golden Knights' cycle game was disjointed, their gap control soft. Hart was the reason the deficit stayed at one. Shea Theodore's wrist shot equalizer at 17:35 of the second, off feeds from Reilly Smith and Nic Dowd, reset the game's momentum precisely when Tortorella said Vegas found itself. The third period was a different team: Mitch Marner tipped home a Jack Eichel feed just 83 seconds in to give Vegas its first lead, and Smith's two goals buried Seattle's ability to respond. Eichel's 63rd assist of the season on Smith's second goal underscored how thoroughly the Golden Knights controlled even-strength possession once they locked into their north-first forecheck. A 26-shot, 4-1 final against a Kraken team that pushed them in the first half of this game reflects the Corsi dominance Vegas established across the final 35 minutes.
Key Players
Reilly Smith
2G 1A, 1st Star, 16 goals on season — Smith's snap shot at 12:01 of the third gave Vegas a two-goal cushion it never relinquished, then his wrist shot at 16:36 sealed the game with an empty-net strike that ended Seattle's any remaining hope of a comeback.
Carter Hart
22 saves on 23 shots, .957 SV%, 2nd Star — Hart absorbed Seattle's fast start in the first period and held a scoreless opening frame together before VGK found its legs, giving Tortorella's group the platform to impose its structure through the second.
Jack Eichel
2A, 63 assists on season — Eichel's two third-period helpers, threading the feed to Marner at 1:23 and setting up Smith's insurance goal at 12:01, demonstrated the zone-entry control and playmaking precision that defines his game at even strength.
Tortorella on a Team That Stays With It
Sentiment vs. Statistical Reality
Tortorella's postgame read was candid: Vegas was slow, Seattle was quicker early, and Hart was the reason the Golden Knights stayed in position to win. That framing holds up statistically. Seattle generated enough neutral-zone speed to dictate terms through the first period and the opening of the second, and the Kraken's 23 shots reflect a game where Hart's .957 SV% was load-bearing, not decorative.
The Hart Factor
Tortorella identified Hart's steadying performance as the first of two things that defined the night. The data supports the emphasis: Hart faced Seattle's fastest sequences in the first 25 minutes, held the game at 0-0 through a scoreless first, then allowed just one goal when Seattle converted in the second. The Golden Knights did not collapse structurally because Hart did not allow a second goal to fracture the game.
The Mindset Formula
- Tortorella described Vegas's system as "nothing elaborate" — play fast, play forward, be aggressive, take time and space in all three zones
- He credited the players for grabbing hold of that mindset and finding consistency with it
- The third period against Seattle, three goals on controlled possession sequences, was the formula executed at its clearest
Playoff Elevation Required
Tortorella was direct that the group must reach another level across puck battles, wall play, and defensive-zone discipline as playoff intensity escalates. He framed it as a challenge the players should welcome, not a warning.
Carter Hart gives us a chance to get our feet on the ground when we struggled a little bit. He kept us there until we got going and we just slowly went about our business and finally found our game I think halfway through the second period.
Pacific Division Champions: 95 Points and a Three-Game Streak Heading In
Vegas closes the regular season at 95 points, four clear of the Edmonton Oilers (91) and five ahead of the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings (90 each). The Golden Knights enter the playoffs as Pacific Division champions on a three-game win streak. Tortorella acknowledged it was a weird year in the Pacific, with Vegas spending stretches near the wild card before locking down the division title at the finish.
What Comes Next for the Golden Knights
The regular season is over. Vegas enters the Stanley Cup Playoffs as Pacific Division champions. No upcoming regular-season games are scheduled. Playoff bracket and first-round opponent details will be confirmed following the conclusion of the full league schedule.
- Playoffs: VGK enters as Pacific Division champions with 95 points
- Streak: Three-game winning streak heading into the postseason