The Vegas Golden Knights closed out the regular season in dominant fashion, defeating the Seattle Kraken 4–1 at T-Mobile Arena in Game 82 and securing the Pacific Division title for the fifth time in franchise history.
Entering the night, Vegas needed just one point to clinch the division—or help from the Edmonton Oilers. They left no doubt, handling business themselves and locking in a first-round playoff matchup against the Utah Mammoth.
Despite the high stakes, it was Seattle that struck first. Rookie forward Shane Wright opened the scoring with his 12th goal of the season, finding himself alone in front and beating goaltender Carter Hart low on the pad side.
Vegas responded late in the second period. Off an offensive zone faceoff, defenseman Shea Theodore fired a knuckle puck through traffic that beat Nikke Kokko, tying the game at 1–1. The goal marked Theodore’s 10th of the season, the fifth time in his career he has reached double digits.
The Golden Knights took control early in the third. Just 1:23 into the period, Brayden McNabb sent a shot from the blue line that was redirected by Mitch Marner for his 24th goal of the season, giving Vegas its first lead of the night.
Vegas continued to build momentum as Rasmus Andersson added to his strong finish with an assist on Reilly Smith’s goal, extending the lead to 3–1. Andersson closes his stint with the Golden Knights with 17 points since joining the team in January.
Smith later capped off the scoring with his second goal of the game and 16th of the season, battling in front to seal the 4–1 victory.
The win was particularly significant for Vegas, as it marked their first victory over Seattle this season after entering the game with an 0-1-2 record against the Kraken.
Behind the bench, head coach John Tortorella has made an immediate impact. Since taking over, he finishes the regular season with a 7-0-1 record—the best start by a head coach in franchise history—and returns to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2020 with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Following the game, Tortorella emphasized the team’s physicality and aggressive playstyle as key factors in their late-season surge and expressed confidence heading into their first-round matchup.
With the division secured, the Golden Knights now turn their attention to the postseason, where they will face the Utah Mammoth in the opening round. The official playoff schedule has yet to be announced, pending the conclusion of remaining regular season games.
Stay tuned to Vegas Sports Today for full playoff coverage as the Golden Knights begin their pursuit of a second Stanley Cup.
