Two days after beating the Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals for their biggest win of the season, the Vegas Golden Knights weren't about to let themselves slip up against slumping Chicago. But they came awfully close.
Jonathan Marchessault and Alex Tuch scored 12 seconds apart in the third period to send the surging Golden Knights past the Blackhawks 4-3 on Thursday night.
Playing in front of 18,494 fans - the second-largest crowd in the two-year history of the franchise - Vegas won for the seventh time in eight games and moved into a third-place tie with San Jose in the Pacific Division.
The Blackhawks, meanwhile, dropped their sixth straight and have been outscored 30-17 during the skid.
After allowing the Blackhawks to score three consecutive goals for a 3-2 lead in the third, the defending Western Conference champions responded. Marchessault fired a shot past goalie Corey Crawford to tie the game, and 12 seconds later it was Tuch punching one in to put Vegas back on top.
Vegas' game-winning goal didn't come without controversy, though, as Chicago coach Jeremy Colliton challenged for goaltender interference. A video review determined Max Pacioretty was forced into Crawford by Blackhawks defenseman Brandon Manning while he backhanded the puck to Tuch, who slipped it through Crawford's legs.
Reilly Smith had a goal and two assists and Deryk Engelland scored his first goal of the season for the Golden Knights. Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 32 shots.
Jonathan Toews, Dylan Strome and Artem Anisimov scored for Chicago. Crawford made 32 saves.
The Golden Knights continued to dominate with their penalty kill, as they've gone seven games without allowing a power-play goal. Since Nov. 23, Vegas has denied 20 consecutive power-play opportunities by opponents, including four against Chicago.
Vegas took an early lead when Smith tipped the puck to himself over Crawford, then dove across the crease while shooting it into the net.
Engelland scored when his wrist shot from the point sailed over Crawford's glove.
Toews inched closer to his 700th career point when he slammed a carom off the end boards past Fleury and cut Vegas' lead in half four minutes into the second.
Later in the period it was Strome gathering Alex DeBrincat's rebound and firing a shot from a wicked angle to tie it at 2.
Anisimov gave Chicago its third straight goal when he streaked in to intercept Nick Holden's pass and beat Fleury on a breakaway with a backhand seven minutes into the third.
And while Vegas coach Gerard Gallant was happy with the win, he was critical of his team's execution.
