Vegas Golden Knights vs Calgary Flames - NHL Game 9 - 2026 | Stone's Third Period Hat Trick Powers Golden Knights Past Flames, 6-2

Game Summary: Vegas Golden Knights vs Calgary Flames

A Fast Start Sets The Tone

Vegas wasted no time getting on the board. Brett Howden opened the scoring just 25 seconds into the game, finishing a stretch pass from Mitch Marner with a shot over Dustin Wolf’s glove. Eichel doubled the lead at 9:34 of the first period, turning a neutral-zone interception into a breakaway goal to put the Golden Knights ahead 2-0.

Calgary Briefly Finds Its Opening

The Flames chopped the deficit to one midway through the second period when Jake Middleton scored short-handed at 10:15. The response, though, was immediate. Braeden Bowman restored Vegas’ two-goal cushion at 11:03, burying a one-timer from the right circle off a pass from Barbashev on the power play. The sequence stopped any momentum Calgary was trying to build and sent Vegas into the third with a 3-1 advantage.

Stone Takes Over In The Third

Stone made sure there would be no comeback. He tapped in a backdoor feed from Eichel at 1:06 of the third, then struck again at 12:10 by swatting home the rebound of Noah Hanifin’s initial attempt. Stone completed the hat trick at 16:13, capping a three-goal period and slamming the door shut on any comeback opportunity.

The captain’s three-goal flurry was the defining story of the night, while Eichel’s three-point performance and Barbashev’s playmaking helped keep Vegas’ attack dangerous across all three phases of the game. Calgary added a late power-play goal from Matt Coronato at 18:40, but a garbage-time goal did little to change the outcome.

Special Teams And Goaltending Make The Difference

Vegas’ short-handed strike and power-play production were the biggest drivers, with Bowman’s second-period goal answering Calgary’s attempt to make the game interesting, Stone’s power-play performance widening the gap and Hart making 28 saves to protect the lead. It all but showed this team’s grit and ceiling when they all execute their assignments on the ice.

What It Means for Vegas

The win gave Vegas its sixth victory in seven games and reinforced the Golden Knights’ early-season momentum. However, Calgary fell to 1-6-0 and was left searching for more consistency and production after its short response in the second period. Vegas now turns its attention to its next home matchup against Pittsburgh on Saturday here at the T-Mobile Arena at 7 p.m. PT.

Post-Game

Head coach Ryan Craig pointed to Eichel’s first-period breakaway while Vegas was shorthanded as the play that tilted the night. “The short-handed goal, obviously with Jack making a great play and going in and scoring,” Craig said.

Stone, fresh off a natural hat trick, kept his answer simple when asked what still drives him. “We won. So, I just really enjoy playing this game, so that keeps getting me out of bed in the morning and excited to go to the rink,” Stone said. (Quotes via NHL.com.)

Follow the season at our Vegas Golden Knights team hub, and catch up on the Golden Knights’ bounce-back win over the Nashville Predators and the loss to the Minnesota Wild that snapped their win streak.

TOP PERFORMERS

TEAM STATS

Goals: Howden, Eichel (SH), Bowman (PP), Stone, Stone, Stone (PP) | Attendance: 16,433 at T-Mobile Arena

Next up: The Golden Knights host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, Oct. 17, at T-Mobile Arena. Puck drop is 7 p.m. PT on Scripps Sports.

Franchise Sports Media. Las Vegas sports news about Las Vegas Sports teams.

– Jordan Vega – Franchise Sports Media

Follow Jordan on Instagram: @jordantvegas

Photography by TQ (@tqthetrojan) for Franchise Sports Media

-> CLICK TO FOLLOW THE FRANCHISE ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA