A dramatic OT finish lifts the Vegas Golden Knights over the New York Rangers, 3-2, after a late rally. Eichel scored on a breakaway with eight seconds left in overtime, sealing the win at Madison Square Garden following Hertl’s tying goal with 52 seconds left in regulation.
VGK vs NYR: Eichel delivers in overtime
By Paul Delos Santos, NHL.com Independent Correspondent, December 08, 2025
Jack Eichel broke the deadlock in overtime, converting a quick break after a face-off win in the Vegas defensive zone. Brett Howden won the draw, Shea Theodore calmly fed the puck off the boards into the neutral zone, and Eichel seized the opportunity to finish on his forehand from the right post.
“Nice run by Howes on the face-off, and a great feed from Theo,” Eichel said. “It was a designed play we’ve practiced, and it came together thanks to that initial win.”
Eichel’s winner followed Hertl’s late-third-period equalizer. With 52 seconds left in regulation, Hertl tied the game by punching a rebound past Quick after a backhand attempt in close. A pair of roughing penalties produced a 4-on-4 for the final 1:58, and Vegas pulled Hart for the extra skater in the closing moments. Hertl’s shot beat Quick on a low-slot rebound to force overtime.
Howden opened the scoring for Vegas, and Mark Stone extended his personal point streak to 12 games with two assists. Vegas (14-6-8) has now rattled off four consecutive wins. Carter Hart stopped 21 shots in net.
After the game, Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy reflected on the turnaround. “Coming out of the first period feeling good, then taking a punch in the second, it felt like we were starting over. We weren’t consistent with our puck management or with skating through contact. If it weren’t for Carter, we’d be in a lot tougher spot,” Cassidy said.
For New York, Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafrenière each logged a goal and an assist. The Rangers (15-12-4) also dropped another overtime decision after Saturday’s loss to Colorado. Jonathan Quick, activated from injured reserve just before the game, turned in 26 saves.
Zibanejad noted the team’s effort: “We showed the right mindset in how we played. We started slowly, but the response in the second period was strong. We controlled what we could, but the outcome didn’t go our way this time.”
Howden wasted no time, scoring 36 seconds into the game by slipping one through Quick’s five-hole on a feed from Mitch Marner.
Zibanejad tied it with a second-period backhand finish at 9:08, tapping in a loose puck past Hart. Lafrenière then put the Rangers ahead at 13:01 of the second with a wrist shot from the right circle that found the underside of the crossbar.
Notes:
- Stone’s point streak stands at 20 points (four goals, 16 assists).
- Rangers captain J.T. Miller played in his 900th NHL game.
If this tilt sparked controversy, it’s worth debating whether Vegas’s late-game pull for the extra attacker helped or hurt their odds, and whether Hertl’s late goal should have been the turning point that forced OT rather than a reset from Vegas. How do you view the decision-making in the closing minutes—bold risk or necessary aggression? Share your thoughts in the comments.
