The Canadian Press
EDMONTON–It took just over two minutes for the Vegas Golden Knights to change the game.
The Golden Knights scored three goals in a 2:12 span early in the second period to emerge with a 6-3 victory over the host Edmonton Oilers.
“We need to build off this,” said Jason Marchessault, who had two goals and an assist.
“We had a tough first 20 games and everybody knows that,” he noted. “We need to catch up from our slow start.
“If we play fast, we’re giving options to each other quick and we’re playing our best, and that’s what we did tonight.”
William Karlsson, Cody Eakin, Max Pacioretty, and Reilly Smith also scored for the Golden Knights (9-11-1), who have won two of their last three games.
Smith tacked on two assists while defenceman Colin Miller had three helpers.
“We came out strong in the second,” Eakin said. “One thing led to another and we had a few in the back of the net.
“That’s what we needed,” he added. “It’s been a little inconsistent and, hopefully, we can build a little momentum here and play the way we need to be successful.”
Connor McDavid, Alex Chiasson, and Leon Draisaitl replied for the Oilers (9-10-1), who now have lost six of their last seven.
“Obviously it is frustrating, there is no other way to say it,” McDavid said.
“Especially because we have shown we can be a good team,” he noted. “We had that 8-1-1 stretch where we looked really good and now we have wavered and find ourselves dipping a bit.
“We just have to get back to that brand of hockey that we know we can play.”
Edmonton scored just 52 seconds into the game on its first shot when McDavid tipped a Matt Benning shot that had Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury completely going in the opposite direction.
Vegas responded with seven minutes left in the opening period when Karlsson tipped a bouncing puck past Oilers’ starter Cam Talbot.
The Oilers regained the lead with a power-play goal with three-and-a-half minutes to play in the first when Chiasson lifted in a rebound at the side of the net.
The game turned around completely early in the second period when the Golden Knights scored three goals in that short span.
Vegas tied it up again when some sloppy play by the Oilers’ second-unit power play ended up in a short-handed goal by Eakin.
The Golden Knights later got a goal on a Pacioretty shot that went in off an Oilers’ defender’s skate and then a power-play marker on a screened shot from Marchessault.
Elsewhere in the NHL, Chicago beat Minnesota 3-1, Dallas dumped the N.Y. Islanders 6-2, Carolina edged New Jersey 2-1, and Colorado nipped Anaheim 4-3 (OT).
