Eight seconds.
That’s how long it took the Golden Knights to go from a chance to put a positive finish on a disappointing homestand, to leaving the ice wondering what just happened.
An opportunity to head into a back-to-back in the Midwest this weekend with some momentum faded quicker than the shot New York Islanders center J.G. Pageau fired to push the Knights to another loss.
Pageau scored a short-handed goal with 1:58 remaining in overtime, and the Knights lost to the Islanders 4-3 at T-Mobile Arena on Thursday night. It was their fourth straight loss and they finished their seasonlong six-game homestand a disheartening 1-3-2.
The Knights (7-4-5) scored three unanswered goals against the Islanders to erase a two-goal deficit. Defenseman Shea Theodore scored his first goal of the season, and center Tomas Hertl and right wing Reilly Smith scored in the third period to give them a 3-2 lead.
New York (9-6-2) tied it with 2:37 left when center Mat Barzal scored on a one-timer with goaltender Ilya Sorokin pulled for the extra attacker.
“Sometimes that’s how it happens. Seems like it’s happening to us a lot lately, so it’s hard to come back and win,” Smith said. “We’re putting ourselves in that position pretty often right now.”
ISLANDERS WIN 🦞
Jean-Gabriel Pageau scores while shorthanded in @Energizer overtime with a rocket of a shot! pic.twitter.com/6LgoejQQZI
— NHL (@NHL) November 14, 2025
The Knights were gifted a chance in overtime. The Islanders were called for too many men on the ice for the second time with 2:06 left in the extra frame.
Pageau won the defensive-zone faceoff, carried the puck himself and fired a shot from the high slot that zipped past goaltender Akira Schmid eight seconds after the penalty was called.
Schmid finished with 20 saves.
“I think the last goal, you save,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “You save to keep it going.”
New York jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals from left wing Emil Heineman and defenseman Matthew Schaefer 3:56 apart.
Schaefer, the 18-year-old who was taken No. 1 overall in this year’s NHL draft, had the primary assist on Barzal’s tying goal. Schaefer leads all NHL rookies with 14 points.
Here are three takeaways from the loss:
1. Depth scoring arrives, but not enough
The Knights were a minute away from scrounging for answers heading into the third period. Their top players were quiet. Depth scoring was already at a premium.
Theodore, off to a slow start offensively, woke up big time.
The defenseman dangled through the Islanders defense and went forehand-to-backhand on Sorokin with 1:04 left in the frame to cut the deficit to 2-1.
It was the first time Theodore looked like himself this season. He came into Thursday with just six assists. The goal gave the Knights life, something that didn’t exist the first 39 minutes.
Hertl, a menace all game on the forecheck, got rewarded at 8:23 on a delayed penalty by scoring on a rebound to tie it 2-2.
Smith, who hadn’t scored since the second game of the season on a gift-wrapped overtime goal in San Jose, scored 2:22 later to give the Knights their first lead. Islanders coach Patrick Roy challenged for goalie interference, but it was unsuccessful.
The Knights didn’t capitalize on the ensuing power play for delay of game. The man advantage went 0-for-5 and is 3-for-34 dating back to Oct. 20.
“I would say where we failed was we didn’t extend the lead on their challenge,” Cassidy said. “We didn’t generate much and actually gave up a two-on-one.”
2. Bowman’s strong debut
The whole experience was a pinch-me moment for Braeden Bowman.
The right wing felt the nerves the last two days. He hardly ate when called up from the Silver Knights on Wednesday, then was anxious even through the national anthem.
Bowman, Henderson’s leading scorer, settled in with four shots in 16:45 in his NHL debut.
“It was awesome,” the 24-year-old Bowman said. “Crazy. Dream come true. Pretty surreal feeling out there.”
WELCOME TO THE NHL, BRAEDEN BOWMAN!!!! pic.twitter.com/gYORfXZc82
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) November 14, 2025
Call-ups don’t usually get thrown into prominent offensive roles, but injuries to captain Mark Stone and center William Karlsson forced the Knights to reach deep into the bag.
Karlsson missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury and is now week to week.
Bowman skated on the second line with center Tomas Hertl and left wing Pavel Dorofeyev. He also was on the first power play unit, taking over Stone’s spot below the goal line.
Bowman looked comfortable early. He won his board battles, made the little plays to get his linemates going. On his first power play rep, Bowman took the puck to the net but couldn’t get a shot off on Sorokin.
“It’s just my job to kind of read the play,” Bowman said. “If there’s a lane to take it there, take it. If not, try to make a play. It brought me some good momentum.”
The power play has been ice cold since Stone injured a wrist three weeks ago, but the first rep was the best the top unit looked in that time.
“There were some looks that we’re starting to see that we had. For him it’s going to be tough to thread the needle there, so I’m glad he took it to the net,” Cassidy said. “At least that part of it he was willing to do and did.”
Bowman took the customary solo rookie lap prior to warmups. His family was in attendance with the exception of his brother Tucker, an actor, who was in Canada filming a role on an unnamed TV show.
“Just kind of the entire experience,” Bowman said. “The rookie lap, being able to play with world-class players like Hertl and Dorofeyev, even being on the edge with Eichel is pretty surreal and hasn’t really sunk in yet, but I think that’s what I’m going to remember most.”
3. McNabb’s milestone
Defenseman Brayden McNabb became the first Knights player to reach 600 games with the franchise.
McNabb, appearing in his 276th consecutive game and 838th overall, was a plus-1 in 21:21.
“It’s kind of wild,” McNabb said. “I feel very grateful and very lucky to be here. A Day One guy, you’re very proud of that. I’m happy to be here, happy to be a part of it.”
The Original Misfit was taken by the Knights in the 2017 expansion draft from the Los Angeles Kings. He’s become a staple on the blue line since and will be around for the long haul.
Saturday will mark the one-year anniversary the 34-year-old McNabb signed a three-year, $10.95 million extension with the Knights.
“As a kid, being in the NHL is all you want to do. I’m living the dream from when I was a kid,” he said. “It’s pretty awesome I’ve been able to stay here for nine years it’s been in existence.
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.