Late power-play goal gives Golden Knights win in Pittsburgh

The second night of a back-to-back is not an ideal time to take penalty after penalty.

Especially for the Vegas Golden Knights, who don’t normally take a lot of penalties to begin with.

How about six trips to the penalty box? That’s one way to test a penalty kill that had given up a power-play goal in six straight games at one point.

But the Knights killed all six Pittsburgh Penguins power plays, including an extended five-on-three in the final minutes, and found a way to win 3-2 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

“I would describe it as a grind,” Knights coach Ryan Craig said.

It was a parade to the penalty box on both sides with 10 minor penalties called between both teams.

The difference was the Knights converted on two of their four chances on the man advantage. Center Tomas Hertl scored both of them, including the game-winner with 34.1 seconds left.

Rookie forward Trevor Connelly scored a game-tying goal in the third for the second consecutive game, and goaltender Adin Hill shined from start to finish with 23 saves.

The Knights (10-5-2) rallied to earn three of a possible four points to start this four-game road trip.

“That was pretty ugly, I think, in a lot of ways,” forward Mitch Marner said. “We just stuck with our game. That’s what we do.”

The Knights were on their heels early. They killed two Pittsburgh power plays in the first 10 minutes of the game. Defenseman Jeremy Lauzon was called for three of the Knights’ six infractions, including twice in the third.

The third with 4:03 left was followed by a high-sticking call against defenseman Brayden McNabb 38 seconds later, giving Pittsburgh a five-on-three for 1:22.

Pittsburgh (5-8-2) didn’t record a shot on goal during the two-man advantage. The Knights were credited with two blocks.

“Special teams were very good tonight,” Craig said. “Two early kills, then obviously the late ones. So, good timing on that.”

Penguins forward Tommy Novak was called for tripping with 1:17 remaining, less than a minute after killing the five-on-three.

Captain Mark Stone’s touch pass to Hertl in the bumper beat Pittsburgh goaltender Arturs Silovs on a play that has become the bread and butter of the Knights’ power play.

“I think teams know it’s coming, and still, it’s hard to defend,” Marner said. “Probably helps that they’re both massive men.”

The Knights led 1-0 after two periods after Hertl’s first goal. They looked to be running on fumes, having played extra time in Boston 24 hours prior.

Pittsburgh took a 2-1 lead midway through the third with goals from Novak and forward Rickard Rakell by 9:58.

Connelly took matters into his own hands less than two minutes later, getting sprung on a breakaway and going backhand to forehand to tie it 2-2.

Connekky, 20, scored the tying goal Monday that got the Knights a point, but ultimately lost 3-2 in a shootout to the Bruins. He leads all rookies with six goals.

“I’ve had a couple (moves) this year where I don’t trust my first instinct, and it doesn’t go how I’d like it to,” Connelly said. “I kind of knew when I got that speed that if I cut back there, I thought I would have a good chance to score.”

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Contact Danny Webster at [email protected]. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.

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Who: Golden Knights at Red Wings

When: 4 p.m. Thursday

Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit

TV: KMCC-TV (Channel 34)

Streaming: ESPN+