LAS VEGAS — Tomas Hertl delivered yet another impressive performance, leading the Vegas Golden Knights to a 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday. Hertl’s goal, his 31st this season, marked an end to a fantastic weekend for the player, who had secured a hat trick the previous night. This latest goal gave Vegas a substantial 2-0 lead during the first period.
The game’s opening score came from Nic Roy, who netted his 11th season goal. Jack Eichel followed, extending the Knights’ advantage with his 24th goal, resulting in a dominating 3-0 lead for Vegas. Nic Hague finalized the win by scoring an empty-net goal. On defense, Ilya Samsonov was instrumental, achieving 35 saves in his 199th career NHL game.
Tampa Bay’s efforts came from Nick Paul and Nikita Kucherov, who managed to find the net despite the fierce opposition. In goal, Andrei Vasilevskiy fought hard for the Lightning, saving 26 shots. This defeat placed the Lightning on a challenging streak, having dropped five of their last eight matches.
The Golden Knights have been on a remarkable spree, improving their record to 11-3-2 since February 6th, securing 24 points in this timeframe, which ranks among the top five in the league. However, the game wasn’t without its tense moments. Hertl exited late in the third period due to an upper-body injury following a collision with the boards after being pushed by Tampa Bay’s defenseman Emil Lilleberg, who received a penalty for the offense.
Both teams are recognized for their potent power-play strategies. The Golden Knights stand 2nd in the NHL, with Tampa Bay in 5th place. Despite this, they only managed to go 2-for-8 with a man advantage during the encounter.
Looking ahead, the Golden Knights are set to commence a three-game road trip starting in Minnesota on Tuesday, whereas the Lightning will host Pittsburgh, beginning their three-game home stretch.