William Karlsson and Ivan Barbashev scored within 47 seconds of each other in the second period and the Vegas Golden Knights cruised to a 4-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday night to take a 3-1 lead in their series. first round playoffs.
The Golden Knights could eliminate Winnipeg in Game 5 of the best-of-seven series on Thursday night in Las Vegas. Teams that take a 3-1 lead in a best-of-seven series have a series record of 299-31.
Winnipeg lost more than the game when veteran star center Mark Scheifele left the ice early in the first period and the team announced that he would not return due to an upper body injury. He joined a growing list of injured teammates that includes star defenseman Josh Morrissey (injured in Game 3) and speedy forward Nikolaj Ehlers, who hasn’t competed in the playoffs.
Laurent Brossoit #39 of Vegas Golden Knights saves Pierre-Luc Dubois #80 of Winnipeg Jets in the first period of game four of the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs on April 24, 2023 at Canada Life Center in Winnipeg , Manitoba, Canada (Jason Halstead/Getty Images)
Manitoba-born forward Brett Howden scored twice for the Golden Knights, including one on empty goal. Chandler Stephenson and Shea Theodore each had two assists. Laurent Brossoit made 24 saves.
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Blake Wheeler had a goal and an assist and Pierre-Luc Dubois also scored for Winnipeg. Neal Pionk added two assists, extending his scoring streak to seven assists in four games. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 26 of the 29 shots he faced for Winnipeg.
The score was 1-1 after the first period and 3-1 in favor of Vegas after the second.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS PICK UP 2OT WIN AFTER WASTE THREE FIRST GOALS IN THIRD PERIOD
Scheifele had fans cheering and then worrying in a matter of minutes.
On a breakaway two and a half minutes into the game, Scheifele made a close shot that Brossoit saved, then stumbled and crashed into the boards on his left side. He got up and kept skating and was on the ice for a Winnipeg power play. When he tried to fire a shot from inside the circle, he didn’t have much power behind him and seemed to immediately grab his right arm. He skated to the dugout and left the game at 5:11.
Scheifele led the Jets in regular season goals with a career-high 42. He had a goal in the playoffs.
Shea Theodore #27 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrates with teammates on the bench after a goal by teammate Ivan Barbashev #49 during action against the Winnipeg Jets in the second period of game four of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs 2023 on April 24, 2023, at Canada Life Center in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (Jason Halstead/Getty Images)
Wheeler beat Brossoit with the man advantage at 5:53.
Not long after, Howden, born in Oakbank, Manitoba, scored the equalizing goal exactly four minutes later. His first shot was blocked and he picked up the loose puck and passed it past Hellebuyck.
The Golden Knights increased their lead to 3-1 in the second period on Karlsson’s goal at 13:32, followed by Barbashev on Theodore’s shot at 14:19.
Dubois made it 3-2 on a power play with a puck that bounced through the air off Alex Pietrangelo’s stick and landed next to Brossoit and into the net at 2:53 of the third.
(L-R) Chandler Stephenson #20, Shea Theodore #27 and Ivan Barbashev #49 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrate Barbashev’s goal during action against the Winnipeg Jets in the second period of game four of the first round of the NBA playoffs Stanley Cup 2023 on April 24, 2023 at the Canada Life Center in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Jason Halstead/Getty Images)
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GRADES
Stephenson’s two assists gave him multiple points in three straight games. He became the fourth player in Golden Knights history to record multiple points in three or more consecutive playoff games. … Las Vegas forward Phil Kessel played in the 100th playoff game of his career. … Winnipeg defenseman Logan Stanley took Morrissey’s place on the list. … Jets backup goaltender David Rittich (lower body) missed the game. He was replaced by AHL emergency callout Arvid Holm.