Shea Theodore logged two assists and scored the game-winner in the fourth round of a shootout and Carter Hart made 27 saves in his return to the NHL as the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 on Tuesday in Las Vegas.
Ivan Barbashev and Braeden Bowman each had a goal and an assist and Ben Hutton also scored for Vegas, which won its second straight game and prevailed for just the second time in 10 contests that went beyond regulation.
Hart was making his first NHL start in 22 months and 12 days following his acquittal in a sexual assault trial in July at London, Ontario. The 27-year-old stopped two shootout tries, including Frank Nazar’s backhand attempt to begin the fourth round. Theodore then lofted a backhand shot past Spencer Knight’s glove side for the game-winner.
Tyler Bertuzzi had a goal and an assist and Connor Bedard and Oliver Moore also scored for Chicago, which took its sixth loss in seven games (1-4-2). Knight finished with 25 saves.
Bedard gave Chicago its first lead at the 4:45 mark of the third period. He broke in one-on-one against Theodore, deked around him and then snapped a wrist shot from the high slot past Hart’s blocker side and off the crossbar and in for his team-leading 17th goal.
Bowman tied it 3-3 with 2:28 left in regulation when he backhanded in a rebound of his own shot over Knight’s right pad.
Vegas needed just 27 seconds to take a 1-0 lead when Barbashev’s crossing pass from the left circle for Bowman hit the skate of Blackhawks defenseman Wyatt Kaiser and caromed into the net.
Chicago tied it 56 seconds later when Moore ripped a wrist shot from the right circle past Hart’s blocker side and into the top left corner.
The Blackhawks took a 2-1 lead midway through the second period, taking advantage of a Hart blunder in the process. Hart, aggressively coming out to clear a puck in front of his crease, instead passed it to Bertuzzi, who then chipped the loose puck past the sprawling goaltender.
The Golden Knights tied it 2-2 at 17:19 of the middle period when Hutton’s one-timer from inside the blue line deflected in off Chicago defenseman Matt Grzelcyk stationed by the right post.
