Pacioretty scores in return, Golden Knights defeat Coyotes

LAS VEGAS --Max Pacioretty scored in his return for the Vegas Golden Knights, a 6-1 victory against the Arizona Coyotes at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday.

Pacioretty had not played since March 11, missing 12 games with an undisclosed injury.
"I've come back from a lot of injuries before, so it wasn't the craziest situation to be in," Pacioretty said. "In the second there, I got a little fatigued, so I had to make sure I had to bear down in the third. I was better in the third. The goal feels good, but at the same time, you're wondering how you're going to manage the game."

Brayden McNabb had a goal and two assists, Evgenii Dadonov had a goal and an assist, and Robin Lehner made 29 saves for Vegas (40-29-4), which has won six of seven.
"We did a lot of good things," Golden Knights coach Peter DeBoer said. "I loved our start to get the early lead. I thought they pushed back a little in the first. I thought we regrouped between the first and second. I loved our second period. We really grabbed control with how we played even though it wasn't on the scoreboard, and that set up the third."
The Golden Knights moved into a tie with the Dallas Stars for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference.
"We know we have a chance, and we know we kind of control our own destiny," McNabb said. "Tonight was good. We got the two points. Took care of business, but we've got a big road trip coming up. So it's almost like last game, where you have to flush this one and be ready for the next one."
Karel Vejmelka made 33 saves for Arizona (22-44-5), which has lost three in a row (outscored 16-3).
"We knew it would be tough. They played extremely well, so a lot of credit to them," Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny said. "It was really tough for us to sustain possession and make a few plays in a row on the puck. That's one of the best performances from an opponent we've had."
Zach Whitecloud gave Vegas a 1-0 lead at 6:23 of the first period, shooting over Vejmelka's left shoulder from a sharp angle below the right circle.
Pacioretty scored 17 seconds later to make it 2-0 when he finished a shot five-hole from in front.
Barrett Hayton cut it to 2-1 at 10:17 when he one-timed a pass from Michael Carcone on a 2-on-1, but Dadonov scored 38 seconds into the second period on a breakaway to make it 3-1.

McNabb pushed it to 4-1 at 5:24 of the third period with a slap shot from the left point, and Jake Leschyshyn scored at 12:05 with a wrist shot to make it 5-1.
Jack Eichel shot glove side on a breakaway at 17:38 for the 6-1 final.
"We haven't been able to be the four-line team that we want to be because of the injury situation," DeBoer said. "Tonight is the first night in a long time where we had the bodies to try and play that type of game. We want to be that team (that has a balanced offense). That's what we have to be. That's what wins in the playoffs."
NOTES:Eichel played in his 400th NHL game and scored his 150th career goal. He also extended his point streak to four games (four goals, one assist). … Forward Chandler Stephenson had two assists and has 57 points (17 goals, 40 assists) in 70 games this season. He had 57 points in 92 games with the Golden Knights in the previous two seasons.