In a thrilling playoff opener, the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Utah Mammoth 4-2, overcoming two deficits to secure the victory. Nic Dowd scored the decisive goal at 7:20 of the third period, redirecting a shot from Noah Hanifin. The Golden Knights, under new head coach John Tortorella, have not lost in regulation since his arrival, now boasting a record of 8-0-1. Colton Sissons had a standout performance with a goal and an assist, while Mark Stone and Ivan Barbashev also found the net. Carter Hart was instrumental in goal, stopping 32 shots. The Mammoth, playing their first playoff game since 2020, initially took the lead with a goal from Logan Cooley but could not maintain it. The Golden Knights' aggressive play was evident, finishing the game with 52 hits compared to Utah's 29. The series continues with Game 2 on Tuesday night in Las Vegas.