Hanifin scores twice in 3rd period, lifts Golden Knights past Oilers

EDMONTON – Noah Hanifin scored twice as the Vegas Golden Knights earned their first road win of the season, 4-2 against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place on Wednesday.

“It was good, it was starting to get into our heads almost a little bit,” Hanifin said of having gone 0-3-1 in their previous away games this season. “We’ve been playing so great at home and when you play at home you just have to kind of grind those games out, be responsible defensively and we were looking to do that tonight.

“I thought we had a really good defensive effort and that’s how you win road games, so it was good to get that one.”

Jack Eichel had a goal and two assists, and Ivan Barbashev had three assists for the Golden Knights (9-3-1), who have won six of seven. Adin Hill made 27 saves.

“All in all, I thought it was a pretty even game and so for our guys that’s what it takes on the road,” said Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy. “We’re not scoring as much as we have at home, so it’s not going to be as easy, it’s a good hockey team they know how to win, so we have to stick with the program.”

Brett Kulak and Zach Hyman scored for the Oilers (6-7-1), who had won two of three. Stuart Skinner made 31 saves, while Connor McDavid was held pointless in his return after missing the previous three games with an ankle injury.

“It’s just some details that we’re missing, and right now, obviously, we need all the details possible,” said Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch. “When the pucks aren’t going in for you, you’ve got to be able to play good defensive hockey, and tonight I thought we started off playing pretty good like that.

“They’re always going to get good scoring chances, they’re a good team, but as the game went on, that’s when I thought our details dropped.”

Eichel put the Golden Knights ahead 1-0 at 16:05 of the first period, getting sent in on a breakaway by Shea Theodore before deking to his forehand and depositing the puck past the left pad of Skinner.

Kulak tied it 1-1 at 12:18 of the second period, tipping in a one-timer from the point by Darnell Nurse past Hill’s left shoulder.

“I thought we played a good game. We were having fun and working hard, winning battles, doing all the right things, but any chance they got they were putting the puck in the net and that was kind of the difference in the end,” Kulak said. “They’re a good team over there. They know how to win and hang around and not give up a whole lot.

“I don’t think we folded or got away from our game plan at all, it’s just that they ended up scoring more than we did.”

Hyman put the Oilers ahead 2-1 at 15:56, following the puck along the boards in behind the Vegas net before it took an unexpected bounce back out toward him for the putaway over Hill’s right pad.

“They got a rare fortunate bounce off the boards, it came off the white part of the boards too, which is odd,” said Cassidy. “Usually it’s off the yellow where they kick out like that.

“It didn’t deter us, that’s something that can get in your head and then you go into the third and we did get the big save going into the third save from ‘Hilly.' That’s one we needed obviously and we stuck with it.”

Hanifin tied it 2-2 at 10:05 of the third period, sending a low point shot past Skinner on the power play.

With 49 seconds left, Hanifin took a cross-ice pass into the slot from Barbashev and sent the puck past Skinner’s glove.

“I think it was just a really good play by Barbashev,” Hanifin said. “It was kind of an awkward play, he was going in on the forecheck and they were kind of watching him a little bit and he kind of made a great pass.

“I was just walking down main street, so good on him.”



Mark Stone scored his sixth goal of the season into the empty net with five seconds remaining for the 4-2 final.

NOTES: Vegas had a 1-1-1 record against the Oilers during the 2023-24 season, with the home team winning each game ... The Golden Knights are now 13-12-3 all-time against the Oilers ... William Karlsson extended his point streak to five games (two goals, four assists), Stone pushed his point streak to seven games (four goals, eight assists), and is now five goals shy of 100 goals with the Golden Knights ... Vegas went 1-for-2 on the power play, while Edmonton went 0-for-1 ... With 7:56 to go in the third, Oilers defenseman Troy Stecher limped to the bench and was taken to the dressing room after blocking a shot. There was no update on his condition.