Pacioretty Scores Twice To Help Vegas Defeat Coyotes

Max Pacioretty scored two goals for the Vegas Golden Knights including the overtime winner to propel Vegas to a win against the Arizona Coyotes, 3-2, on Wednesday night at Gila River Arena.
HOW IT WENT DOWN
As the first period wound down without a goal on the board, Derek Stepan redirected a Jacob Chychrun shot from the blueline to put the Coyotes up 1-0 with :52 remaining in the period. The tide turned in Vegas' favor in the second period as Tomas Nosek beat Darcy Kuemper glove-side to tie the game at 1-1. Ten minutes later, Alex Tuch and Cody Eakin combined to set up Pacioretty's third goal in three games. In the third, Eakin appeared to put Vegas up 3-1, but his goal was waved off for offsides. Stepan scored a power-play goal in the third period to knot the score at 2-2 and send the game to overtime. Pacioretty buried his second goal of the game to lift Vegas to the win.

TURNING POINT
Vegas was pressing throughout overtime and the Golden Knights finally broke through with 2:24 to go. Shea Theodore took a shot that Kuemper stopped, but Pacioretty was able to tuck the puck through Kuemper's legs to end the game.
TOP PERFORMERS
Max Pacioretty:Pacioretty buried his first game-winner as a Golden Knight and had his first multi-goal game since joining the team.
Tomas Nosek: Nosek ended a 17-game goal drought with his second-period goal.
Derek Stepan: It was a two-goal night for Stepan as he was a key member of the Coyotes' offense in the game.
UNSUNG HERO
Nate Schmidt led the team in ice time with 23:48 and blocked two shots. His return has been helpful to the Vegas blueline.
STAT OF THE GAME
Pacioretty's performance was his first two-goal game since being acquired by Vegas in September. He now has four goals in his last three games.
LOOKING AHEAD
Vegas returns home to play two post-Thanksgiving matchups against the Calgary Flames on Friday and the San Jose Sharks on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena.