Marchessault hat trick helps Golden Knights top Rangers, extend point streak to 6

NEW YORK -- Jonathan Marchessault had a hat trick, and Adin Hill made 37 saves for the Vegas Golden Knights in a 5-2 win against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Friday.

Marchessault also scored two goals in a 6-5 overtime loss at the New Jersey Devils on Monday. He has eight goals and three assists in a six-game point streak after going nine games without a goal from Dec. 23-Jan. 13.

"When you're hot you try to stay hot as long as you can," Marchessault said. "When you're cold you've got to get out as fast as you can."

Hill started for the second straight game after missing 15 in a row and 22 of 23 with a lower-body injury. He made 40 saves in a 3-2 win at the New York Islanders on Tuesday.

"I feel good," Hill said. "My body feels good and I feel like I'm able to do everything I need to do. It's nice for the confidence, the mental side of it. Just keep building off of it."

Keegan Kolesar and Sheldon Rempal scored, Ivan Barbashev had three assists, and Nicolas Roy had two assists for Vegas (29-14-6). The Golden Knights are 5-0-1 in their past six games, including 2-0-1 through the first three of a four-game road trip that concludes against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday. 

Blake Wheeler had a goal and an assist, and Igor Shesterkin made 15 saves for New York (29-16-3).

The Rangers won 25 of their first 35 games of the season (25-9-1) but have won four of 13 games in January (4-7-2).

"Great teams are made in fire and we're certainly in the fire right now," Wheeler said. "This can be a really useful situation for our team down the stretch if we handle it the right way."

Rempal gave Vegas a 1-0 lead at 5:02 of the first period on a netfront deflection of Paul Cotter's shot from the right face-off circle.

Wheeler tied it 1-1 at 6:33 when his shot from the left circle got past Hill on the far side.

The Rangers outshot the Golden Knights 15-6 in the first period.

"I thought we could have scored three or four goals in the first period," New York coach Peter Laviolette said. "I thought we had good offensive-zone time, good looks and good quality chances, and we walk away with one and it's tied 1-1."

Kolesar gave Vegas a 2-1 lead at 3:18 of the second period. He took the puck away from Artemi Panarin at the blue line, beat K'Andre Miller down the ice and scored with a high shot over Shesterkin's glove from the top of the left circle for his fourth goal of the season.

"I think that's the first one he shot in the net this year," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. "He's usually deflecting them, tipping them."

Marchessault said he thinks Kolesar's goal changed the game for the Golden Knights.

"I think we really hit our stride when [Kolesar] scored that goal," he said. "It was a great shot from him."

Kolesar said, "I'm sure I surprised the whole world with that one. Just found some space and wanted to get the puck on net before he could react. Luckily it found its way in the back of the net."

Marchessault scored in front 46 seconds later to extend the lead to 3-1 at 4:04. Vegas won the puck back in the corner, and Marchessault got a piece of Barbashev's shot from the left circle.

"We've got to pick up from that point and press on," Laviolette said. "I think we lost our way a little bit after that."

Marchessault scored again at 2:11 of the third period to make it 4-1.

Kaapo Kakko cut it to 4-2 at 18:54 when he scored off a rebound.

Marchessault scored an empty-net goal at 19:30 for the 5-2 final.

New York outshot Vegas 39-20 and had a 79-42 advantage in shot attempts.

"Right now, what we're doing offensively is missing, is not connecting," Laviolette said. "The opposition is connecting with the scoring chances that we're giving up. Everything is almost two to one. We're in that spot right now, so at the end of the day we're losing games and it's not good enough. You've got to dig in somehow and be better in all areas. Better defensively. More determined offensively. Find a way to win hockey games."

NOTES: Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren (upper body) left the game with 11:51 remaining in the first after a hit from Kolesar. There was no update. … Golden Knights forward Pavel Dorofeyev (upper body) didn't play in the third period. It's not clear if he will be able to play Saturday. … Cassidy said forward Michael Amadio has been cleared and should play against the Red Wings. Amadio has missed five games with an upper-body injury.