National Hockey League
Montreal 4, Vegas 3
When: 4:00 PM ET, Saturday, December 22, 2018
Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
Referees: Jake Brenk, Kevin Pollock
Linesmen: Steve Barton, Brian Murphy
Attendance: 18173

Paul Byron scored at the 1:59 mark of overtime for his second consecutive game-winning goal and Phillip Danault scored his first career hat trick to lead the Montreal Canadiens to a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday afternoon in Las Vegas.

Byron took a pass from Max Domi while cutting in front of the net and beat Marc-Andre Fleury with a backhand shot through his pads to give Montreal its first overtime win in six tries this season.

Domi, Brendan Gallagher and Tomas Tatar each had two assists for the Canadiens while Carey Price finished with 23 saves.

Brandon Pirri scored two goals and Jonathan Marchessault also scored a goal for Vegas, which had a six-game home win streak snapped. Brayden McNabb and William Karlsson each had two assists for the Golden Knights while Fleury finished with a season-high 43 saves.

Danault gave the Canadiens a 1-0 lead at the 3:40 mark of the first period when he one-timed a crossing pass from Gallagher from the top of the right circle past Fleury's blocker side.

Pirri then tied it when he put in a rebound of an Alex Tuch wraparound try that Price stopped with his left pad. Marchessault gave Vegas its first lead early in the second period when he fired a rebound of a McNabb shot from the slot past Price's glove side for his 13th goal of the season.

Danault tied it at 2 with a deflection of a Jordie Benn shot from the right point for his fourth goal of the season. Vegas challenged that Danault hit the puck with a high stick but the goal stood following a replay review.

Pirri gave the Golden Knights a 3-2 lead with a breakaway goal, taking an outlet pass from McNabb in stride that bounced off the boards near the red line during a Montreal line change and then beating Price five-hole.

The Canadiens pulled Price for an extra attacker with two minutes to go and Danault tied it with 1:25 remaining by scoring on a rebound of his own shot that had bounced off the post.

Pirri, called up from the Chicago Wolves where he led the AHL in points (41) and assists (24) when the Golden Knights placed Max Pacioretty on injured reserve earlier in the week, has now scored six goals in four career games with Vegas, including three in two games this season.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Montreal   Vegas
Phillip Danault 3 Points Brandon Pirri 2
Phillip Danault 3 Goals Brandon Pirri 2
Max Domi 2 Assists William Karlsson 2
N/A Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Carey Price .885 Save Percentage Marc-Andre Fleury .915
Carey Price 23 Saves Marc-Andre Fleury 43
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Montreal 47 4 0-2 2-2 4 27
Vegas 26 3 0-2 2-2 4 32
Upcoming Games
  • Vegas will play their next game at home against Los Angeles. The Golden Knights have a W/L % of .381 after a win and .706 after a loss.
  • Montreal will play their next game on the road against Florida. The Canadiens have a W/L % of .389 after a win and .632 after a loss.