Incredible short-handed goal in overtime lifts NY Islanders to riveting win in Vegas

Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored a short-handed goal 3:02 into overtime, lifting the New York Islanders to a 4–3 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night — their third straight victory and a statement of resilience under the Vegas lights.

Matthew Schaefer had a goal and an assist, while Mathew Barzal and Emil Heineman also scored for New York. Bo Horvat and Jonathan Drouin added two assists apiece, and Ilya Sorokin made 26 saves as the Islanders improved to 9-3-2 in their last 14 games. With 20 points, they now hold the top Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Vegas, which has lost four straight (0-2-2), erased an early 2–0 deficit with goals from Shea Theodore, Tomas Hertl, and Reilly Smith. Akira Schmid stopped 20 shots in defeat.

Barzal tied it 3–3 with 2:37 remaining on a one-timer off a pass from Schaefer. In overtime, with the Islanders facing a too-many-men penalty, Sorokin denied Jack Eichel’s drive before Hertl’s rebound hit the crossbar. On the next faceoff, Pageau won the puck, skated down the right side, and fired a long-range shot past Schmid for the winner.

“That’s what you do in Vegas, right? Take a chance, play the odds, put the puck on net and it went in,” Pageau said of his goal, taking Mitch Marner one-on-one before snapping it top shelf. “We got the two points, we have a game tomorrow and we want to play the same way.”

“You’re on the penalty kill and you think you’re in trouble, but [Pageau] scores a massive goal for us,” Barzal said. “What a goal by him — he’s one of the best penalty killers in the league, both offensively and defensively.”