Vegas lost 4-3 in a shootout at Seattle. Mark Stone scored twice to build a 2-0 lead, Brett Howden made it 3-1 early in the third, but Seattle scored twice to force overtime. Berkly Catton's shootout winner was the difference. VGK earns one point, now at 89.
Knight of the Night
Mark Stone
Stone scored twice, an even-strength wrist shot in the first and a power-play backhand 55 seconds into the second, to put Vegas up 2-0 before Seattle clawed back.
How Seattle Erased a Two-Goal Deficit in Nine Minutes
Vegas controlled the first 41 minutes of this game. Stone's wrist shot gave VGK the lead at 10:04 of the first, and his power-play backhand just 55 seconds into the second extended it to 2-0 before Jared McCann's late power-play goal gave Seattle life at 17:54. Brett Howden tapped home a rebound off a Pavel Dorofeyev tip 71 seconds into the third to push the lead back to 3-1. Then Seattle's forecheck found its legs. Berkly Catton’s fluke stanchion-bounce goal at 6:11 made it 3-2, and Bobby McMann's equalizer at 9:16 erased the lead entirely. Vegas spent too much time pinned in its own zone through the third period's middle stretch. Adin Hill stopped 30 of 33 in regulation and OT, but despite Mitch Marner scoring in the opening round, Vegas's shootout unit couldn't seal the deal, leaving one point on the table in a division race decided by fractions.
Key Players
Mark Stone
2G, 2nd Star, 26 goals on season — Stone generated Vegas's entire offensive foundation, scoring on a first-period wrist shot and burying a backhand power-play goal 55 seconds into the second to push the lead to two before Seattle's surge.
Brett Howden
1G, deflection at 1:11 of 3rd, key late faceoffs — Howden's deflection off a Pavel Dorofeyev feed extended the lead to 3-1 just 71 seconds into the third period, and Tortorella credited him with winning critical faceoffs late in regulation.
Tortorella Takes the Point and Moves On
The Tactical Reality vs. The Sentiment
Tortorella's postgame read was pragmatic rather than alarmed. He acknowledged Seattle's surge as a product of a fast team finding its game at the right moment, and he framed the one point as acceptable given the circumstances, not a failure. The statistical picture is more pointed: Vegas generated 34 shots but allowed two even-strength goals in a nine-minute third-period window that stemmed directly from zone-exit breakdowns, the same structural issue Tortorella flagged explicitly.
Zone Exits: The Acknowledged Problem
Tortorella singled out the team's inability to exit the defensive zone cleanly as the primary correctable issue, noting Vegas spent too much time trapped in its own end. That aligns with the scoring sequence: both Seattle third-period goals came after sustained Kraken zone time that Vegas could not clear.
Howden's Versatility Earns a Specific Callout
- Tortorella praised Howden's faceoff work late in regulation as a decisive tactical asset
- His ability to play both center and wing gives Tortorella line-combination flexibility in high-leverage situations
- The coach called him "a pretty important guy for this club", a notable endorsement given Tortorella's reluctance to single out individual players mid-stretch run
Shootout: Honest Assessment
Tortorella admitted the shootout has been a struggle, confirmed the lineup is set before puck drop based on coaching staff input, and offered no excuses. The process was sound; the execution was not.
One Point Gained, One Lost: The Pacific With Three Games Left
Vegas sits second in the Pacific at 89 points through 79 games, one point behind the Edmonton Oilers (90 pts) and level with the Anaheim Ducks (89 pts, 79 GP). The Golden Knights' shootout loss tightened what was already a three-team sprint. The Los Angeles Kings (85 pts, 78 GP) remain within range. Every point in the final three games is non-negotiable.
Three Games to Define Vegas's Playoff Seeding
- Sat, Apr 11: at Colorado Avalanche, 8:00 PM (Away)
- Mon, Apr 13: vs. Winnipeg Jets, 10:00 PM (Home)
- Wed, Apr 15: vs. Seattle Kraken, 10:00 PM (Home)