LAS VEGAS — The Pittsburgh Penguins (32-18-15) had an energetic start to the third period, and yet another comeback from hockey’s latest cardiac kids seemed at hand.

However, a couple of mistakes became a couple of Golden Knights‘ (30-22-14) goals, and like so many paychecks on the Las Vegas Strip, all Penguins’ hope was lost in a 6-2 Vegas win at T-Mobile Arena.

The Penguins’ playoff cushion is down to just two points over the Columbus Blue Jackets, who gained a point in an overtime loss to the Florida Panthers.

The Penguins have now lost three of four games without Evgeni Malkin, but had points in three straight. Thursday was the Penguins’ first regulation loss during Malkin’s five-game suspension.

The scoreboard showed a low-event game, but each team had some Grade A chances, or more specifically, near-Grade A chances. After two periods, Vegas had only 11 shots, though the Penguins didn’t have many more, registering only 15.

In the first period, Penguins rookie winger Ville Koivunen nearly scored on a rebound, but Vegas goalie Adin Hill stopped the shot that initially sneaked through his five-hole by closing his skates at the last moment.

Moments after Koivunen nearly staked the Penguins to a 1-0 lead, Vegas claimed it. Parker Wotherspoon’s clearing attempt nicked referee Chris Rooney just enough for Vegas to keep it in the offensive zone. Braeden Bowman set up Colton Sissons in front (5) for a quick tap-in at 8:41 of the first.

The shots were 6-6 after the first period, and the only players with multiple shots were Bowman and Avery Hayes, though neither of Hayes’s shots were notable moments.

The Penguins’ inability to connect on the last pass or remain connected in the offensive zone made the second period a slog through the desert without water.

Vegas scored a pair of goals, including one just 54 seconds after the Penguins closed the lead to 2-1.

In the moments following another anemic Penguins power which resulted in one inconsequential shot, the Penguins followed their man-advantage failure with a chaotic line change that emboldened a Vegas attack.

With open men and escalating opportunities, Pavel Dorofeyev (31) was alone at the near post and roofed a wrist shot over Penguins goalie Arturs Silovs at 5:02.

The Penguins finally connected in the offensive zone midway through the second period. Bryan Rust, who dogged the puck throughout the game, snapped a hard pass to the far post as Rickard Rakell crashed the net. Rakell (13) deflected it past Hill at 8:26 to get the Penguins in the game, 2-1.

However, just 54 seconds later, the typically reliable Connor Dewar turned the puck over at center ice, leading to a Vegas rush and Mitch Marner (19) having the space to sweep past Silovs and tuck the puck into the net at 9:20 for a 3-1 Vegas lead.

Penguins rookie Ben Kindel gave the Penguins a bit more life late in the second period when he redirected a brilliant pass by Anthony Mantha past Hill at 16:22, and the Penguins threatened another comeback at 3-2.

That was as close as the Penguins got.

The game featured several mistakes from normally steady players. The fourth line with Dewar, Blake Lizotte, and Noel Acciari, which was statistically the best line in the NHL, giving up only eight 5v5 goals all season, slumped with three goals against Thursday.

Defenseman Parker Wotherspoon also had a couple of costly turnovers leading to Vegas goals.

Early in the third period, the Penguins pressed, but Vegas intercepted Wotherspoon’s drop pass for Ville Koivunen, creating a three-on-one rush. Dorofeyev (32) snapped a wrist shot past Silovs from point-blank range at 4:35 of the third.

Less than two minutes later, the Penguins’ fourth line loosely covered the Vegas rush and Team USA gold medalist Jack Eichel (24) whipped a shot from the slot past Silovs.

Silovs was not bad, but his stats were ugly. The Penguins’ goalie stopped 11 of 16 shots. The Penguins did not test Hill enough and he stopped 25 of 27.

Brayden McNabb scored the empty-netter with about one minute remaining.

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