Golden Knights build early lead, thrash Maple Leafs

Tomas Hertl, Jack Eichel, Noah Hanifin and Tanner Pearson each had a goal and an assist as the Vegas Golden Knights jumped out to a five-goal lead and cruised to a 5-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday in Las Vegas.

Brett Howden also scored for Vegas, which won its third straight game and prevailed for the sixth time in seven games. Adin Hill made 29 saves to win his fourth straight start.

Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner scored for Toronto, which had a four-game road win streak end while taking its second straight loss (0-1-1). Matthews became the third player in franchise history to amass 100 power-plays goals, joining Mats Sundin (124) and Darryl Sittler (120).

Anthony Stolarz stopped 16 of 18 shots for the Leafs. Stolarz entered the game at the 15:03 mark of the first period after starter Joseph Woll, who made 31 saves while shutting out the Golden Knights 3-0 on Nov. 20 in Toronto, was pulled after yielding three goals on seven shots.

Vegas took a 1-0 lead at the 4:33 mark of the first period. Hertl put in a rebound of a Brandon Saad shot for his 24th goal, tying Pavel Dorofeyev for the team lead.

Howden made it 2-0 midway through the period with a backhand shot from the slot that went under Woll's right arm. Eichel followed with a power-play goal at the 15:03 mark, one-timing a shot from the left circle.

Hanifin scored 17 seconds into the second period to make it 4-0. Eichel set up the score with a no-look backhand pass from his knees along the boards in the right corner into the slot, where Hanifin one-timed a shot into the top far corner.

Pearson jammed in a rebound to the increase the lead to 5-0 midway through the period before Toronto finally got on the board. Matthews put in a rebound of a John Tavares shot from the right side of the crease to extend his point streak to 11 games (three goals, 12 assists).

Marner made it 5-2 with 6:33 to go in the third period. He stole the puck from Ivan Barbashev inside the Vegas blue line and roofed a wrist shot from the slot past Hill's blocker side.

--Field Level Media