FSM Recap: Vegas Golden Knights vs Ottawa Senators: NHL Game 14

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Vegas Golden Knights (9-4-1) | Ottawa Senators (8-5-0)

Three straight losses were enough.

LAS VEGAS: The Vegas Golden Knights finally punched back Tuesday night, scoring three unanswered goals in the third period to defeat the Ottawa Senators 4-1 at T-Mobile Arena. Braeden Bowman opened the scoring, but the night belonged to Raphael Lavoie, whose first NHL goal proved to be the game-winner. Adin Hill delivered a clutch performance with 25 saves, helping Vegas snap its losing streak and remind everyone that this team still has plenty of fight.

Video Courtesy: NHL

Game Summary: Vegas Golden Knights vs Ottawa Senators

TEAM	1	2	3	Final
OTT	0	0	1	1
VGK	0	1	3	4

Bowman Breaks the Ice

The first period was all about patience and survival. Ottawa created pressure early, outshooting Vegas 11-4, but Hill came up with several important stops to keep the game scoreless.

Late in the second period, Hill made one of the night’s biggest plays. With Ottawa threatening on a short-handed breakaway, he raced out of his crease and poked the puck away from Ridly Greig. Vegas quickly turned defense into offense, and Bowman buried a rebound off a shot from Ivan Barbashev with just seconds remaining in the period.

That was a massive momentum swing. Instead of heading into the intermission potentially trailing, Vegas walked into the locker room with a 1-0 lead and a little life back in its game.

Lavoie Delivers a Career Moment

Ottawa tied the game just 34 seconds into the third period when Shane Pinto scored on the power play. For a moment, it looked like the Golden Knights might be headed for another frustrating finish.

Then Lavoie stepped into the spotlight.

At 8:01, Ville Heinola sent a shot toward the net, and Lavoie finished the rebound to put Vegas ahead 2-1. It was his first career NHL goal, and what a time to get it. Lavoie didn’t expect to play, but an injury to Carter Hart changed the lineup, giving him an opportunity he seized in a big way.

Sometimes hockey writes its own stories. Lavoie arrived ready to contribute and left with the game-winning goal. That’s the kind of moment a player remembers for the rest of his career.

Hill Shuts the Door

With the lead restored, Vegas needed to protect it, and Hill delivered. He remained composed under pressure, giving his teammates the confidence to close out the game.

William Karlsson added an empty-net goal with two minutes remaining, and Jack Eichel followed with another in the final seconds to seal the 4-1 victory. Jonas Johansson made 25 saves for Ottawa, but Vegas found the timely finishes that had been missing during its losing streak.

The Golden Knights also improved to 9-4-1, while the Senators fell to 8-5-0. It wasn’t a perfect performance, but it was a gritty one, and sometimes that’s exactly what a team needs.

The Confidence Is Back

This win was about more than two points. Vegas needed to stop the bleeding, regain some confidence, and prove it could respond when things got uncomfortable. Hill supplied the backbone, Bowman delivered the breakthrough, and Lavoie provided the unforgettable moment.

The Golden Knights still have work to do, particularly on the penalty kill, but Tuesday showed what happens when they stay composed and keep pushing instead of letting adversity take over.

Vegas now turns its attention to the New Jersey Devils on Friday at home. The losing streak is history, the energy should be back, and the Knights have a chance to build on this performance.

The message is simple: Vegas doesn’t need to be perfect. It needs to be relentless. And Tuesday night, the Golden Knights finally looked like themselves again.

Post-Game

Vegas head coach Ryan Craig pointed to Hill’s poke check late in the second period as the play that turned the night. “The save he made in the second period gave us some life. He makes the play on the power play, no hesitation. Trusts his read. He gave us a chance to win the hockey game. He was prepared and ready to play,” Craig said.

Hill, who raced out of his crease to break up the short-handed chance, said the move was new territory for him. “But that’s the first flying butterfly I’ve done,” Hill said. (Quotes via The Sporting Tribune and The Hockey News via Yahoo Sports.)

Catch up on the skid this win snapped with our recaps of the overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets and the 6-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues, and follow the season on our Vegas Golden Knights hub.

TOP PERFORMERS

Vegas Golden Knights	G / A / PTS	Ottawa Senators	G / A / PTS
Braeden Bowman	1 / 0 / 1	Shane Pinto	1 / 0 / 1
Jack Eichel	1 / 0 / 1	Drake Batherson	0 / 1 / 1
William Karlsson	1 / 0 / 1
Raphael Lavoie	1 / 0 / 1
Adin Hill (G)	25 saves, .962	Jonas Johansson (G)	25 saves, .926

TEAM STATS

Category	Vegas Golden Knights	Ottawa Senators
Shots on Goal	29	26
Power Play	1-2	1-3
Faceoffs Won	25 (47.2%)	28 (52.8%)
Hits	14	24
Blocked Shots	24	6
Giveaways	24	10
Takeaways	1	4
Penalty Minutes	8	6

Goals: Bowman (PP), Lavoie, Karlsson (EN), Eichel (EN) | Attendance: 16,663 at T-Mobile Arena

Next up: The Golden Knights host the New Jersey Devils on Friday, Oct. 30, at T-Mobile Arena. Puck drop is 3 p.m. PT on NHL Net.

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

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Jordan Vega

Jordan Vega is a Mexican American and Native American sports broadcaster from Coachella, California. He has played football since age seven and played college football at Orange Coast College. After high school, Jordan served in the U.S. Navy, where he discovered judo and earned two national gold medals while training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Now studying Sports Broadcasting at UNLV and competing in wrestling, Jordan is passionate about telling authentic sports stories and creating greater representation in sports media. His goal is to become a household name and inspire the next generation.