Forward Tomas Tatar scored his first goal since being acquired at the trade deadline, and the Golden Knights snapped a three-game losing streak by topping the Devils 3-2 Sunday afternoon in New Jersey.
Vegas general manager George McPhee gave up three draft picks, including a first rounder, to the Detroit Red Wings for Tatar, who scored the eventual game winner in the second period on Sunday.
David Perron fired a wrist shot that was stopped by New Jersey goalie Cory Schneider, and Tatar swooped in and batted the rebound into the net to give the Golden Knights a 3-1 lead. It was Tatar’s first goal as a Golden Knight, and Perron’s assist gave him a new career-high 58 points on the season.
Vegas also got second period goals from Perron and Deryk Engelland. Perron opened the scoring 4:39 in to the second period when he grabbed a rebound and threw it into the wide-open net.
The Devils tied the game 1-1 on the power play when Vegas left defenseman Sami Vatanen wide open and he ripped a one-timer past Marc-Andre Fleury.
Deryk Engelland helped the Golden Knights retake the lead with a blistering slap shot that found its way into the top corner above Schneider’s outreached glove. It was Engelland’s fourth goal of the season, and he continues to extend his career-high 21 points this year.
Forward Ryan Reaves, who was also acquired just prior to the trade deadline, earned his first point as a Golden Knights with an assist on Engelland’s goal.
Tatar’s goal extended the lead to two goals, but New Jersey’s Taylor Hall tightened the game only 12 seconds later with his 30th goal of the season on a wraparound shot.
Neither team found the back of the net in the final period and Fleury earned his 22nd win of the season, stopping 33 of the 35 shots he faced.
In snapping the losing streak, the Golden Knights have still yet to lose more than three games in a row this season. They will head to Columbus for a matchup with the Blue Jackets on Tuesday. It will be their second game of a five-game road trip.
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