LAS VEGAS — Adin Hill delivered a stellar performance with 32 saves as Tanner Pearson netted his first game-winning goal of the season, leading the Vegas Golden Knights to a commanding 4-1 victory over the Florida Panthers on Sunday evening.
The Golden Knights, who had experienced a rough patch with seven losses in their last nine games, needed this triumph against the reigning Stanley Cup champions as they kicked off a crucial three-game homestand.
In addition to Pearson’s score, Brayden McNabb, Jack Eichel, and Tomas Hertl contributed goals for Vegas, while Nic Roy recorded three assists throughout the game. For Florida, Anton Lundell managed to get one goal on the board, and Spencer Knight made 22 saves during the match.
This contest marked the Panthers’ fourth road game in just six nights, and they were coming off a back-to-back effort after a dominant 7-2 win over San Jose on Saturday.
With this victory, the Golden Knights regained sole possession of the top spot in the Pacific Division, now standing one point ahead of Edmonton.
**Takeaways**
For Florida, this defeat prevented them from overtaking Toronto for the lead in the Atlantic Division, leaving them a point behind the Maple Leafs.
Meanwhile, just before the game commenced, the Golden Knights announced that defenseman Alex Pietrangelo would step back from the 4 Nations Faceoff event. Pietrangelo logged significant ice time, playing over 24 minutes against the Panthers.
**Key Moment**
In the early minutes of the third period, with Vegas defenseman Nic Hague in the penalty box for slashing and the Knights holding a one-goal lead, Florida had the opportunity to score during a power play. However, they failed to take advantage of the situation against the Golden Knights’ penalty kill unit, which ranks 21st in the league, despite coming into the game with the third-best road power play record.
**Key Stat**
Brett Howden celebrated a career milestone by playing in his 400th game.
**Up Next**
The Florida Panthers will return home to start a three-game homestand against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night, while the Golden Knights are set to host the Dallas Stars on Tuesday evening.
