Theodore's OT Goal Gives Vegas 5-4 Win, Ties Series 2-2

In Salt Lake City on Monday night, Shea Theodore scored with 51.5 seconds left in overtime to give the Vegas Golden Knights a 5-4 victory over the Utah Mammoth in Game 4 of their first-round NHL playoff series, evening the best-of-seven matchup at two games apiece.

The Golden Knights built a 3-0 lead early, with Pavel Dorofeyev opening the scoring 72 seconds into the first period on a wrist shot, followed by Brett Howden's shorthanded goal with 1:22 remaining in the frame and Cole Smith's tip-in at 3:27 of the second. Utah mounted a comeback, however, scoring four straight goals. Nick Schmaltz and Ian Cole netted markers 29 seconds apart in the second period at 8:04 and 8:33, respectively, before Michael Carcone tied it at 1:44 of the third and Clayton Keller put the Mammoth ahead 4-3 at 5:10 on a wrist shot off a deflection.

Howden answered with his second goal of the night, a tip-in at 9:35 of the third, forcing overtime. Vegas thought it had won moments into the extra period when Dorofeyev tapped in a loose puck at 9:41, but the goal was disallowed for offside. Undeterred, Theodore snapped a shot from the high slot past Utah goaltender Karel Vejmelka to secure the win.