VANCOUVER — Pavel Dorofeyev scored his team-leading 35th goal of the season to snap a 1-1 tie early in the third period as the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4-1 on Wednesday night in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Jack Eichel also scored for Vegas in his first game back after missing four contests with an upper-body injury.
Victor Olofsson had a goal and an assist for the Knights (50-22-10), who've clinched the second seed in the Western Conference. Cole Schwindt scored his first NHL goal into an empty net late in the third period. Defenceman Ben Hutton had two assists against his former team.
Pius Suter scored for the Canucks (38-30-14), who were eliminated from playoff contention last week.
Goaltender Kevin Lankinen played the first two periods for Vancouver stopping 19-of-20 shots. He was replaced in the third by Nikita Tolopilo, who stopped seven-of-nine shots.
Golden Knight goaltender Akira Schmid, making his fifth appearance of the season, stopped 16 shots.
The Knights won all four game they played against Vancouver this season.
TAKEAWAYS
Canucks: Vancouver finishes the season fifth in the Pacific Division and 10th in the Western Conference. …It’s the eighth time in 10 years Vancouver has missed the playoffs. …Jake DeBrusk led Vancouver goalscorers this season with a career-high 28. … Quinn Hughes finished the year tied with Alex Edler for the most points by a defenceman in franchise history with 409.
Vegas: With nothing to play for, the Knights didn’t dress several starters, including centre Tomas Hertl (32 goals), goaltender Adin Hill (32 wins) and defenceman Noah Hanifin (30 points). … The Knight lost 5-4 to Calgary in a shootout Tuesday night. … The Knights finish first in the Pacific and second in the Western Conference. … Vegas outshot Vancouver 12-5 in the second period. … It’s the third time in franchise history Vegas has 50 wins in a season.
KEY MOMENT
With the game tied 1-1, Dorofeyev took a pass from Hutton and sent a shot from the faceoff circle over top of Tolopilo’s glove at 7:59 of the third.
KEY STAT
It was the last game for Canucks equipment manager Patty O’Neill, who is retiring after 45 years with the NHL.
UP NEXT
Vancouver: The Canucks will hold their season-ending news conference later in the week.
Vegas: The Golden Knights will face the Minnesota Wild in the opening round of the NHL playoffs.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16, 2025.
Jim Morris, The Canadian Press
