LAS VEGAS: William Karlsson scored the tiebreaking goal midway through the third period to lift the Vegas Golden Knights to a 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Sunday night.

James Neal also scored and Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 28 shots to improve to 9-2-1 in front of a season-high 18,234 in attendance.

The Western Conference-leading Golden Knights have the top home record in the NHL at 18-2-1. The expansion team is 9-0-1 in its last 10 at home, including nine straight wins.

Behind excellent puck movement on the winner, defenseman Deryk Engelland found Jonathan Marchessault with a blueline-to-blueline pass. Marchessault then pushed the puck forward to Reilly Smith, who found Karlsson at the right dot for a one-timer for his team-high 22nd of the season.

Mika Zibanejad scored for the Rangers and Ondrej Pavelec, making his 10th appearance of the season, finished with 32 saves.

Dan Girardi had a goal and an assist in the first period before blocking a shot above the shoulders in the second period and leaving Tampa Bay Lightning’s victory over Detroit Red Wings.

Girardi turned his head to the left when Detroit’s Martin Frk took a shot on a power play and the puck appeared to hit the defenseman in the neck. He lay face down on the ice while a doctor evaluated him on the ice and was eventually able to sit up. Girardi later skated slowly off the ice with team-mates at his side and walked toward the dressing room. The team confirmed in the second intermission that Girardi would not return to play, adding initial reports were he was OK.

Girardi assisted on Tyler Johnson’s goal that put Tampa Bay up 2-0. Yanni Gourde and Nikita Kucherov restored two-goal leads in the second and third periods. Gourde added a second goal of the night late in the game, putting the Lightning ahead 5-2.

Louis Domingue stopped 34 shots for the NHL-leading Lightning. They avoided losing three straight for the first time this season.

Associated Press