Golden Knights rally from early deficit, defeat Leafs in shootout

Danny Webster, Las Vegas Review-Journal on Oct 9, 2026

Published in Hockey

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The Vegas Golden Knights rallied from a three-goal deficit in the first period and defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 in a shootout at T-Mobile Arena on Thursday.

Rookie Trevor Connelly scored the winning goal in the top of the fifth round. Forward Braeden Bowman also scored, while Adin Hill stopped four of five.

Jack Eichel had a goal and an assist, captain Mark Stone and forward Brett Howden each scored for the Knights, who won their third straight (4-1-0) after trailing 3-0 in the first period..

Hill overcame the rough start to finish with 21 saves. Toronto goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 40 saves.

It was the first game for the Knights without leading goal scorer Victor Olofsson, who was deemed week to week with an upper-body injury he suffered on Tuesday against Seattle.

This is the kind of game that would normally constitute a sell-out at T-Mobile Arena. Maple Leafs fans have been known to travel. They flocked to Las Vegas in January just to boo Mitch Marner relentlessly in his first game against his former team.

The announced attendance was 15,977, the first time the Knights have not had a sellout in the regular season or postseason in team history.

Those who watched were treated to a fun one.

Eichel’s was a penalty shot, the 20th all-time for the Knights and the seventh successful try ever.

It was less than a week ago when the Knights scored three times in the third and lost 4-3 to Anaheim. The narrative of looking too much like last season was something they wanted to nip in the bud as quickly as possible.

And yet, the Knights found themselves in another three-goal hole in the first eight minutes of the game. It started the worst possible way with Hill giving up a soft goal to Jack Roslovic in close 34 seconds in.

Toronto followed with a breakaway goal from winger Easton Cowan less than three minutes later, then a tip from center Nick Paul on a blast from defenseman Darren Raddysh at 8:37.

A slapshot from Stone with 2:24 left jumpstarted the momentum for the Knights. It also got their top line going, as they started to control play.

Howden needed 1:12 into the second period to produce a backdoor finish from Marner and cut the lead to 3-2.

Not even three minutes later, Eichel split two defenders and was awarded a penalty shot. He buried it for his second penalty shot of his career and the first for the Knights since Feb. 9, 2023.

The Knights dominated the second period to the tune of 21-8 in shots.