The Tampa Bay Lightning delivered a dominant third-period performance to overcome the Vegas Golden Knights in a thrilling matchup Thursday night, securing a convincing 6-3 victory at T-Mobile Arena. What started as a Golden Knights advantage quickly unraveled as the Lightning's offensive firepower proved too much to handle in the final frame.
A Tale of Two Halves
Vegas came out swinging, with
Ivan Barbashev scoring twice in the opening period to give the Golden Knights a commanding 2-0 lead after just 20 minutes of play. The home team looked poised for a statement win, but Tampa Bay had other plans. The Lightning clawed back in the second period when
Gage Goncalves and Dominic James each found the back of the net, tying the game at 2-2 heading into the final frame.
The third period became a showcase of Lightning dominance.
Nikita Kucherov took over the game, scoring twice and adding an assist on a late empty-netter to spark Tampa Bay's explosive finish. Brandon Hagel matched Kucherov's two-goal performance, also chipping in an assist as the Lightning's depth proved decisive.
The Turning Point
The momentum shift came quickly in the third. Kucherov struck just 2:48 into the period to give Tampa Bay a 3-2 lead, but Vegas answered back when
Mitch Marner tied it at 3-3 less than a minute later. That's when Hagel's goal 35 seconds after Marner's tally gave the Lightning the lead for good, and they never looked back.
Kucherov sealed the victory with a
power-play goal with 5:47 remaining to make it 5-3, and Hagel added an empty-netter with less than a minute to play. Andrei Vasilevskiy was stellar in net for Tampa Bay, making
29 saves to secure the win, while Carl Lindbom stopped 21 shots for Vegas.
What Went Wrong for Vegas
Despite the strong start, the Golden Knights couldn't maintain their early momentum.
Vegas went scoreless on the power play in three chances, a critical factor in the loss. Barbashev's two first-period goals proved to be the only bright spot in an otherwise disappointing performance, as the team's defense crumbled in the final 40 minutes.
Looking Ahead
The Lightning head home to face Washington on Saturday night, riding high after this impressive road victory. The Golden Knights will look to bounce back immediately when they host Anaheim on Saturday, hoping to regain their early-season form.
Sources
1. Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Vegas Golden Knights - NHL Game Recap
2. Around the League: Drake Makes Presence Known, KD Beefs, Bulls ...
3. Lightning score 4 in 3rd, surge past Golden Knights
4. NHL News Today | Betting Updates & Analysis - Dimers.com
5. Golden Knights blow lead in 6-3 loss to Lightning
6. NHL Highlights | Lightning vs. Golden Knights | November 06, 2025
7. NHL Highlights | Lightning vs. Golden Knights - November 6, 2025
8. Rob Zettler | Postgame at Vegas Golden Knights - NHL.com
