After missed opportunities, Golden Knights visit Blue Jackets

The Vegas Golden Knights and Columbus Blue Jackets are coming off losses entering their matchup Thursday night in Columbus.

The Golden Knights lost 3-2 in overtime to the host Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday, while the Blue Jackets dropped a 5-3 road decision to the New Jersey Devils.

Vegas has lost its last two games (0-1-1) after winning four straight.

The Golden Knights had to rally to earn a point against the Penguins, trailing 2-0 in the second period before Pavel Dorofeyev's power-play goal with 5:31 left. Defenseman Noah Hanifin then tied it up with seven seconds left in regulation -- and goalie Ilya Samsonov pulled for the extra attacker -- to send the contest into overtime.

But Penguins' defenseman Erik Karlsson scored just 49 seconds into the overtime period to beat the Golden Knights.

Dorofeyev and Hanifin each also had an assist, and Samsonov made 14 saves in the loss. Vegas had 37 shots on goal.

"We had a lot of looks in the third period," Hanifin said. "Fortunately, we were able to capitalize there at the end, but their goalie made some good saves. ... there were chances for us there, I think, in the third period."

Vegas had a 19-4 shot advantage in the final frame.

"Obviously, a good push," the Golden Knights' Tanner Pearson said. "I think our game was all right the whole night. Just couldn't capitalize on our chances, really. Anytime we put up, what, 38 shots? Something like that? Usually, it works out for us."

Center Jack Eichel had an assist for his 78th point of the season (20 goals, 58 assists), which ties the Golden Knights' franchise record for points in a season. William Karlsson set the mark in Vegas' first season, 2017-18.

The Blue Jackets have lost three of their last four games. They trailed 3-0 after the first period on Tuesday.

"Obviously, they're known to be a team that capitalizes early in their building, and we didn't do a good job tonight of countering that," said the Blue Jackets' Mathieu Olivier, who scored two goals. "I think we were a little too stubborn at times. We had times in the game where we were accomplishing what the game plan was, and we didn't stick to it.

"We were stubborn in making decisions out there, and it cost us," Olivier said.

The winger has five goals and two assists in his last seven games.

Kirill Marchenko scored his 15th goal, and Elvis Merzlikins stopped 23 shots.

Olivier's first goal and Marchenko's marker in the second period pulled Columbus to within one, but Timo Meier countered for the Devils with 3:11 remaining in the middle period for a 4-2 New Jersey lead after two. Defenseman Luke Hughes then scored 26 seconds into the third to make it 5-2.

Olivier added his second goal in the third.

"We're in a playoff race here, and we had an opportunity to do some damage in the standings and we didn't," he said. "We'll analyze, shake it off, and get back to it in the next game."

--Field Level Media