{"id":565065,"date":"2026-05-02T14:03:26","date_gmt":"2026-05-02T14:03:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/565065\/"},"modified":"2026-05-02T14:03:26","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T14:03:26","slug":"golden-knights-eliminate-mammoth-set-up-second-round-clash-with-ducks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/565065\/","title":{"rendered":"Golden Knights Eliminate Mammoth, Set Up Second-Round Clash With Ducks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mitch Marner<\/a> delivered when Vegas needed him most, scoring twice and adding an assist as the Golden Knights<\/a> rolled past the Utah Mammoth<\/a> 5-1 on Friday night in Game 6 to close out their first-round playoff series in emphatic fashion.<\/p>\n

With the victory, Vegas advances to the Western Conference semifinals, where a showdown with Anaheim now awaits. The Ducks<\/a> punched their ticket Thursday after a convincing 5-2 win over Edmonton<\/a> in their own Game 6 clincher.<\/p>\n

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What once looked like a team searching for direction has quickly transformed into one gathering real momentum. Since John Tortorella replaced Bruce Cassidy behind the bench, the Golden Knights have rediscovered their edge. Vegas finished the regular season 7-0-1 after the coaching change, then responded to a 2-1 series deficit against Utah by rattling off three consecutive wins.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is what I hoped for,\u201d Marner said. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot more work to keep going.\u201d<\/p>\n

Marner was electric throughout the series, totaling two goals and five assists, but Friday marked his most dominant outing yet. It was also his first multi-goal playoff performance since April 20, 2023, when he accomplished the feat against Tampa Bay.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt was his best game of the series. He just looked comfortable,\u201d Tortorella said.<\/p>\n

Vegas opened the scoring late in the first period when Brett Howden<\/a> continued his scorching run. Marner fired a shot wide of the net, but the rebound kicked directly into the slot, where Howden buried it with 4:58 remaining. It was Howden\u2019s fourth goal of the series, all of them coming over the final three games.<\/p>\n

Howden had already been a difference-maker earlier in the week, scoring the winner in Vegas\u2019 dramatic 5-4 double-overtime triumph in Game 5. He also netted twice in regulation during the club\u2019s Game 4 overtime win.<\/p>\n

Marner doubled the lead with just 45 seconds left in the second period after Vegas controlled possession in Utah\u2019s zone for more than two straight minutes. Stationed high in the right circle, he hammered a slap shot that deflected off Ian Cole<\/a>\u2019s knee and found the back of the net.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI\u2019ve had a couple opportunities in that same area that I had just missed on,\u201d Marner said. \u201cThat\u2019s why I just decided to quickly wind one up and see if I could get a clapper though.\u201d<\/p>\n

Utah finally answered in the third period when Kailer Yamamoto<\/a> trimmed the deficit to 2-1, briefly giving the home crowd hope. But Vegas responded immediately, refusing to let the game tighten.<\/p>\n

Colton Sissons<\/a> restored the two-goal cushion moments later, Marner buried a power-play goal for his second of the night, and Cole Smith<\/a> sealed the result with an empty-net finish.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been here before,\u201d Vegas captain Mark Stone<\/a> said. \u201cWe don\u2019t have the panic. Maybe some teams do. We can calm ourselves pretty quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Carter Hart<\/a> turned aside 21 shots in a steady performance, while Utah goaltender Karel Vejmelka<\/a> also made 21 saves in defeat.<\/p>\n

For the Mammoth, the ending was especially jarring. Utah had led in the third period of each of the first five games in the series, only to spend all of Game 6 chasing from behind.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t have that in my bingo card,\u201d Utah coach Andre Tourigny said. \u201cI was really confident we would go to Vegas tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Instead, the Mammoth are going home early. But it was not a failed season by any sense of the word.<\/p>\n

The Mammoth are a young squad and if they can acquire some new players in the offseason that can help them on special teams and between the pipes, that would be a healthy start.<\/p>\n

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