Golden Knights ground Jets, inch closer to division title

Danny Webster, Las Vegas Review-Journal on Apr 14, 2026

Published in Hockey

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The thought of winning the Pacific Division didn’t seem possible for the Vegas Golden Knights two weeks ago.

They’re on the doorstep of adding another banner to the rafters, and clinching home-ice advantage to start the playoffs after defeating the Winnipeg Jets 6-2 at T-Mobile Arena on Monday.

The Knights (38-26-17) will head into the final game of the regular season Wednesday against the Seattle Kraken with a chance to wrap up their fifth division title in nine years.

It’s taken a 6-0-1 run under coach John Tortorella, and until Game 82, to give the Knights a chance.

“You want to be playing your best during the most important time of the season,” captain Mark Stone said. “We’ve put ourselves in a spot where we have a chance to win our division, which is something a couple weeks ago wasn’t super obtainable.

“We’ve put ourselves in a good spot to obtain what we want, which is, at least, home-ice advantage to start the playoffs.”

The Knights need one point against the Kraken to wrap up the division and ensure home-ice advantage in the first two rounds.

If they lose in regulation to Seattle, they will need the Edmonton Oilers to lose to the last-place Vancouver Canucks in any fashion, and need the Anaheim Ducks to lose one of their final two games in any fashion.

The Jets (35-33-12) were eliminated from playoff contention with the loss.

“We got good athletes in our league,” Tortorella said of thefinal week. “If they put the uniform on, they’re going to play. It doesn’t matter.

“As you see with some teams in the standings, they’re still playing hard.”

Stone scored for the third straight game and added two assists, and Jack Eichel had a goal and three assists in a game that featured 15 penalties and 12 power-play opportunities.

The Knights went 2-for-7 on the man advantage, both goals coming off a high-sticking double minor on Jets center Mark Scheifele.

Goaltender Carter Hart improved to 5-0 since returning from a lower-body injury to finish with 21 saves.

“We’ve given ourselves a spark,” Stone said. “We’ve been playing better the last couple of weeks. Our game has been building.”

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