Pageau's Overtime Goal Propels Islanders to 4-3 Victory Over Golden Knights

Post by : Samir Nasser

Jean-Gabriel Pageau delivered a spectacular short-handed goal just 3:02 into overtime, securing a 4-3 victory for the New York Islanders against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday in Las Vegas. He seized a loose puck in his own end, sped down the right wing, and unleashed a wrist shot that found the back of the net past Vegas goalie Akira Schmid.

The Islanders showcased depth in their performance, with Matthew Schaefer netting a goal and an assist, while both Bo Horvat and Jonathan Drouin added two assists each. Contributions also came from Emil Heineman and Mathew Barzal, who scored goals of their own. Ilya Sorokin, the Islanders’ goalie, made 26 saves, improving his record to 4-0-1 over the past five games and 4-2-1 against Vegas historically.

For the Golden Knights, Shea Theodore, Tomas Hertl, and Reilly Smith found the scoresheet, but Akira Schmid’s 20 saves weren't enough to prevent their fourth consecutive loss at home, dropping their record to 0-2-2 during this stretch. Despite an early dominance in the game, Vegas was unable to hold their lead.

New York was held without a shot for the first 10:42 of the opening period, but the scoring began when Emil Heineman found the net at 14:03, with his shot redirected off Jack Eichel’s stick. Schaefer extended the lead to 2-0 with a power-play goal, blasting a shot from above the circles past Schmid.

The Golden Knights responded, with Theodore narrowing the gap to 2-1 late in the second period after evading defenders and tucking a wrist shot inside the left post. As the third period unfolded, Hertl tied the game following a rebound from Jeremy Lauzon's shot, with Smith giving Vegas their first lead at 3-2 by scoring off a sharp-angled rebound.

With 3:10 left on the clock, New York pulled Sorokin for an extra attacker, leading to Barzal’s crucial one-timer from the left circle at 2:37 remaining, pushing the game into overtime. The Islanders carried the momentum, culminating in Pageau’s decisive short-handed goal that sealed their win.

This victory marked the Islanders' third back-to-back win, underlining their tenacity and teamwork. Key players stepped up, with Sorokin’s solid goalie work ensuring they bested a resilient Golden Knights team and achieved a crucial road win.