The Vegas Golden Knights snapped their five-game losing streak in thrilling fashion, edging out the Winnipeg Jets 4-3 in overtime on Tuesday night at Canada Life Centre. Tomas Hertl, standing tall in front of the net, deflected Mitch Marner’s one-timer on a late power play, sealing the victory with just 12.8 seconds left in the extra frame. The win not only ended Vegas’s recent woes but also deepened the Jets’ misery, marking their 10th consecutive defeat in what’s been a brutal stretch for the Winnipeg squad.
It was a night of high drama and emotional swings, with both teams desperate to reverse their fortunes. The Jets, mired in a 0-6-4 skid, were looking to halt a slide that’s seen them drop 13 of their last 14 games. The Golden Knights, meanwhile, arrived in Manitoba riding a season-long five-game losing streak, hungry for a spark to rekindle their playoff push.
From the opening puck drop, the intensity was palpable. Winnipeg wasted no time asserting themselves, with Cole Perfetti breaking a 16-game goal drought just 5:16 into the game. The young forward made the most of a slick no-look backhand pass from Jonathan Toews, cutting in front of the crease and beating Vegas goalie Carter Hart with a confident backhand shot. Perfetti’s celebration, banging the glass in front of the home crowd, set the tone for a night that would be anything but ordinary.
Moments later, the atmosphere inside Canada Life Centre was rocked by a scary incident. Jets defenseman Haydn Fleury was taken off the ice on a stretcher after an awkward collision with Vegas forward Keegan Kolesar. Fleury slid hard into the end boards, bringing the game to a standstill as medical staff attended to him. According to the Jets’ social media update, Fleury was fully alert and moving his extremities as he was transported to the hospital, a relief to everyone in the building. No penalty was called on the play, but the emotional impact lingered for both teams.
Despite the somber pause, Winnipeg pressed on. Luke Schenn, marking his 1,100th NHL game—a remarkable milestone for the veteran defenseman—fired a wrist shot from inside the blue line through traffic, beating Hart’s glove to double the Jets’ lead late in the first period. For Schenn, it was his first goal of the season, and what a night to get it.
The second period saw the Golden Knights claw their way back. Mark Stone, who’d taken a puck to the jaw earlier in the frame courtesy of teammate Ben Hutton, showed the kind of resilience that’s made him a leader in the Vegas locker room. With about a minute left in the period and Vegas on the power play, Stone shoveled home a rebound from a Pavel Dorofeyev shot, narrowing the deficit to 2-1. That tally not only energized the visitors but also extended Stone’s career-best goal streak to five games, further cementing his reputation as a clutch performer.
As the third period unfolded, the tension ratcheted up. Brett Howden, enjoying a hot streak of his own, tied things up at 2-2 with a one-timer from the right circle, set up beautifully by Noah Hanifin. It was Howden’s third straight game with a goal, and it came at a crucial juncture, silencing the Winnipeg faithful and giving Vegas a shot in the arm.
The Jets, however, weren’t ready to fold. Kyle Connor, the model of consistency for Winnipeg, restored the lead with a wrist shot from the high slot with just over five minutes remaining. The goal was Connor’s 20th of the season, marking the ninth consecutive season he’s hit that milestone—a testament to his elite scoring touch. But the celebration was short-lived. Less than a minute later, Reilly Smith pounced on a rebound, chipping a backhander past Connor Hellebuyck to tie the game at 3-3. Smith’s goal, coming just 59 seconds after Connor’s, sent the contest hurtling toward a dramatic overtime finish.
With the pressure mounting in the extra period, a tripping penalty to Winnipeg’s Dylan Samberg gave Vegas a golden opportunity. On the ensuing power play, Marner unleashed a one-timer from the high slot. Hertl, battling for position in front of Hellebuyck, got just enough of the puck to redirect it off the right post. As the puck trickled toward the goal line, Hellebuyck reached back in desperation, but his glove inadvertently knocked it across the line. The Golden Knights bench erupted, their losing streak finally over. According to Field Level Media, "Tomas Hertl scored a power-play goal with 12.8 seconds left in overtime as the Vegas Golden Knights rallied to defeat the host Winnipeg Jets, 4-3, on Tuesday night."
The stat sheet told the story of a hard-fought battle. Hertl finished with a goal and an assist, while Marner chipped in two assists, including the pivotal helper in overtime. Carter Hart made 17 saves for Vegas, steadying the ship when his team needed it most. For Winnipeg, Hellebuyck was busy, turning aside 27 shots, but the result extended his personal winless streak to nine games (0-5-4).
Gabriel Vilardi was a bright spot for the Jets, registering two assists, while the team’s power play showed flashes of life. Yet, the inability to close out games continues to haunt Winnipeg. The emotional toll of losing 10 straight is evident, and with the season slipping away, questions about the team’s direction are only getting louder.
In the aftermath, the focus for both teams quickly shifted to the future. The Golden Knights, buoyed by the dramatic win, are set to host Columbus on Thursday night, hoping to build momentum and climb back into the playoff conversation. The Jets, meanwhile, will try to regroup as they prepare to host Edmonton, searching for any spark to end their nightmarish skid.
For the fans in Winnipeg, the night was a rollercoaster—early hope, a frightening injury, and ultimately, another heartbreaking loss. For Vegas, it was a much-needed shot of confidence, a reminder that even in the depths of a slump, a single bounce can turn everything around. As the season grinds on, both teams know the margin for error is razor thin. But if Tuesday’s thriller is any indication, neither squad is ready to back down from the fight.