LAS VEGAS (Associated Press) — Tomas Hertl kept up his scoring momentum, contributing to the Vegas Golden Knights` 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday.
Building on his recent hat trick, Hertl scored his 31st goal of the season, putting Vegas ahead 2-0 in the first period.
Earlier in the first, Nic Roy scored his 11th goal, followed by Jack Eichel`s 24th, extending the Golden Knights` lead to 3-0. Nic Hague sealed the win with an empty-net goal, while goaltender Ilya Samsonov was outstanding, making 35 saves.
For Tampa Bay, Nick Paul and Nikita Kucherov each scored, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 26 saves.
Key Points
Lightning: Concluding a three-game road series, the Lightning`s struggles continue after a loss to the Utah Hockey Club. They have lost five of their last eight games.
Golden Knights: Since February 6th, Vegas has a record of 11-3-2, earning them the fifth-most points in the league during this period.
Turning Point
Late in the third period, Hertl appeared to sustain an upper-body injury. He collided with the boards after being pushed by Tampa Bay`s Emil Lilleberg, who received a penalty for boarding.
Stat to Note
Despite both teams having strong power plays, they only managed to convert 2 out of 8 power-play opportunities in total.
Looking Ahead
The Golden Knights will begin a three-game road trip at Minnesota on Tuesday, while the Lightning will host Pittsburgh to start a three-game home stand.
