Golden Knights edge Canucks, pull into tie for Pacific lead

Vegas extends point streak to 6 games under new coach Tortorella

Apr. 8, 2026 at 4:50am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey game, with the players and ice rink broken down into overlapping, angular shapes in the team's colors of gold, black, and blue.The Golden Knights' surge under new coach Tortorella has them battling the Oilers for the Pacific Division lead in a tight race down the stretch.Las Vegas Today

The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4-1 to move into a tie for first place in the Pacific Division. Vegas is 4-0-0 since John Tortorella took over as head coach, and the team has earned points in six straight games. Carter Hart made 10 saves for the Golden Knights, while Nikita Tolopilo stopped 26 shots for the last-place Canucks.

Why it matters

The Golden Knights' surge under new coach Tortorella has them tied atop the Pacific Division with the Edmonton Oilers, setting up a tight race for the division title and playoff positioning down the stretch. The struggling Canucks, meanwhile, continue to languish near the bottom of the standings.

The details

Vegas dominated play early, outshooting the Canucks 10-2 in the first period, but Tolopilo made several tough saves to keep it scoreless. Max Sasson scored to give Vancouver a 1-0 lead in the second, but Brayden McNabb tied it later in the period. In the third, Chandler Smith put Vegas ahead 2-1, and the Golden Knights added two late empty-net goals to seal the victory.

  • The game was played on April 7, 2026.
  • Vegas has won 4 straight games since John Tortorella replaced Bruce Cassidy as head coach on March 29.

The players

Brayden McNabb

A defenseman for the Vegas Golden Knights who scored the game-tying goal in the second period.

Carter Hart

The goaltender for the Vegas Golden Knights who made 10 saves in the win.

Nikita Tolopilo

The goaltender for the Vancouver Canucks who made 26 saves in the loss.

Max Sasson

A forward for the Vancouver Canucks who scored the team's lone goal.

John Tortorella

The new head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights, who has led the team to a 4-0-0 record since taking over on March 29.

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What they’re saying

“We didn't give up a shot for the first 14:30, that's how dominant we were early. But their goalie kept them in it.”

— Chandler Smith, Forward, Vegas Golden Knights

What’s next

The Golden Knights and Oilers will continue their battle for the Pacific Division title over the final weeks of the regular season. The Canucks, meanwhile, will look to play spoiler and pick up more wins before the season ends.

The takeaway

The Golden Knights' hot streak under new coach John Tortorella has them back in the Pacific Division race, setting up an exciting finish to the season as they try to overtake the Oilers for the top spot. The struggling Canucks, on the other hand, are running out of time to turn their season around.