The Vegas Golden Knights stormed back with three third-period goals to defeat the Utah Mammoth 4-2 in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series. Nic Dowd's go-ahead goal at 7:20 of the third period capped Vegas' comeback after trailing twice during the game.

Vegas has not lost in regulation since John Tortorella took over as coach last month, improving to 8-0-1 under his leadership. Colton Sissons, Mark Stone, and Ivan Barbashev also scored for the Golden Knights, while Carter Hart made 32 saves. The Mammoth, playing their first playoff game since 2020 after relocating from Arizona, got goals from Logan Cooley and Kevin Stenlund.

The Golden Knights dominated physically with 52 hits compared to Utah's 29, setting a season high for Vegas. The game featured multiple fights, including one after the final buzzer. Game 2 is Tuesday night in Las Vegas as the Golden Knights look to build on their momentum in this first-round matchup.