Golden Knights move closer to postseason spot with 6-3 win

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) celebrates with right wing Mitch Marner (93) after scoring a goal against the Calgary Flames during the second period at T-Mobile Arena. LAS VEGAS — They held one of those reunion nights at T-Mobile Arena Thursday, even though it wasn’t an official promotion by the Vegas Golden Knights. Zach Whitecloud returned to the place he had spent the first eight-plus years of his NHL career.

Rasmus Andersson faced his former team for the first time. And Carter Hart got to play again for his old coach from Philadelphia. Suffice to say, emotions were running high inside the Fortress, which will celebrate its 10th birthday come Monday, hard as that it is to believe.

But while the past may have been celebrated, it’s the present which really was the most important item on the agenda as the Knights continued their push to secure a playoff spot. By defeating Whitecloud and the Calgary Flames 6-3 on the strength of Mitch Marner’s hat trick and five-point performance, Vegas inched closer to locking down one of the eight Western Conference postseason berths. With 84 points, the Knights are still in third place in the Pacific Division, but just three points out of first as Edmonton and Anaheim are tied with 87 points each.

The Ducks have a game in hand on both the Oilers and Knights. “We found a way to win the game,” Tortorella said after both teams had to wait 26 minutes between the second and third period while the ice was repaired in the Calgary end. “We got three in the third period and we responded well.