Vegas Golden Knights defenceman Jeremy Lauzon, left, celebrates with Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79) after defeating the Utah Mammoth in Game 1 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Vegas Golden Knights defenceman Jeremy Lauzon, left, celebrates with Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79) after defeating the Utah Mammoth in Game 1 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Vegas Golden Knights centre Colton Sissons (10) scores against Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) during the second period in Game 1 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Utah Mammoth centre Logan Cooley (92) celebrates after scoring against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period in Game 1 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (61) celebrates after scoring against the Utah Mammoth during the third period in Game 1 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79) is scored on by Utah Mammoth centre Logan Cooley (92) during the first period in Game 1 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nic Dowd redirected Noah Hanifin's shot from the point to put Vegas ahead at 7:20 of the third period and the Golden Knights beat the Utah Mammoth 4-2 on Sunday night in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.
Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is Tuesday night in Las Vegas.
The Golden Knights, who twice trailed before scoring three third-period goals, have not lost in regulation since John Tortorella (8-0-1) took over as coach.
The Mammoth lost in the franchise's first playoff game since 2021. They are in their second season in Utah after leaving Arizona.
Colton Sissons had a goal and assist for the Golden Knights and Mark Stone and Ivan Barbashev also scored. Carter Hart stopped 32 shots. Hanifin had two assists.
Logan Cooley and Kevin Stenlund scored for the Mammoth. Karel Vejmelka, playing in his first playoff game after five years in the Utah/Arizona organization, made 27 saves. Captain Clayton Keller, who closed the regular season with 16 assists over a 10-game streak, failed to record one in this game.
The Golden Knights took the fight to the Mammoth from the beginning and finished with 52 hits to 29 for Utah. Vegas' high in the regular season was 36 against Los Angeles in the Oct. 8 opener.
Both teams were involved in several fights including one after the final buzzer.
Former Golden Knight Nate Schmidt delivered a tremendous cross-ice pass to Cooley, whose one-timer from the right circle put the Mammoth on the scoreboard first with just 11 seconds left in the first period.
Sissons scored the equalizer at 3:44 of the second period, jamming in the puck after a backhand pass from Cole Smith. Utah retook the lead not even two minutes later when Hart found himself out of position and Vegas defenceman Kaeden Korczak knocked the puck into his own net, though it was officially credited to Kevin Stenlund.
The Golden Knights again tied it when Stone put a rebound into the open net for a power-play goal 5:33 of the third period. They then soon had the lead when Utah defenceman MacKenzie Weegar turned over the puck in his zone, and Dowd knocked in Hanifin's shot.
Barbashev closed the scoring with an empty-netter.
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AP NHL:
The Associated Press
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