Dorofeyev's hat trick, Howden's 2OT winner powers Vegas to 5-4 win

LAS VEGAS — As if back-to-back overtime games weren't good enough, Wednesday night's game needed two overtime periods to decide a winner in the series' most decisive game thus far.

In what was an all-too-familiar finish for Utah, this time it was Brett Howden who came through in the clutch for the Golden Knights with has shorthanded goal in double overtime to lift Vegas to a 5-4 victory.

Las Vegas now takes a 3-2 lead in the series at it heads back to Salt Lake City for Game 6.

"I'm so proud of the way we played, the way our guys played," Mammoth head coach Andre Tourigny said. "The intensity, the pace we had. I have no complaints about it."

In a game that could swing the series, the Mammoth were plagued by the same issues that have proved costly in each loss this series. Struggles on the man advantage and a failure to hold on to third-period leads have been a defining trait for a young Utah team.

With the Mammoth leading 4-3 late — just as they did in Game 4 — the Golden Knights, once again, forced overtime. This time, the tying goal came from the stick of Pavel Dorofeyev, who notched his third goal of the game on the score to give him the hat trick.

For Utah, holding onto a lead has been an issue this series; and that weakness reared itself late in the game, once again. With just about three minutes left in regulation with a one-goal lead, the Mammoth chose to play conservative and sat back, even when the team had opportunities to put pressure on Vegas.

That passive level of play cost the Mammoth as the Golden Knights, who failed to generate much offense in the third period, were granted the opportunity to pull goalkeeper Carter Hart and put an extra skater on the ice for the game-tying goal.

As for the team's special teams, it has been quite disappointing in the series. Utah is just 1-for-14 on the man advantage this series, with their lone power-play goal coming in Game 3.

The inability to score hasn't been the only issue for the Mammoth on special teams, though. Despite keeping Vegas relatively in check on their own power-play unit, Utah has surrendered three shorthanded goals this series — two of which coming from Howden in the past two games.

Both teams didn't find the back of the net until the end of the opening period before each side had a good dose of goal scoring. John Marino found himself in the right place at the right time as he cleaned up a shot deflection off the boards and put it past Hart for his first-career playoff goal.

After stopping the Golden Knights' first two power plays, the Mammoth surrendered its third power-play goal of the series after Dorofeyev was able to beat Karel Vejmelka's arm for the precision strike.

It was Dorofeyev's second consecutive game with a goal after he opened the scoring for Vegas in Game 4. The goal snapped a drought of 13 consecutive power plays without a goal for the Golden Knights.

Lawson Crouse gave Utah a 2-1 lead with a snap-shot goal after Keller set him up with his second assist of the night. But in a two-minute span, the Mammoth saw their lead disappear and then found themselves trailing after a pair of goals from Vegas.

Game 4 hero Shea Theodore picked up his 2 points of the game after he set up Dorofeyev for his second of the game before Theodore gave Vegas its first lead with a similar shot to his game-winner.

Utah retook the lead after they were able to connect on a couple of two-on-one chances with Dylan Guenther and Michael Carcone striking again for the Mammoth. Ultimately, Utah was unable to hold onto the lead, with Dorofeyev forcing overtime in the final minute of the third period.

After a deadlocked first overtime, it looked like the Mammoth would have a chance to end it early in the second overtime period when Utah had its first man advantage of overtime when a high sticking on Reilly Smith was called.

Despite being down a skater, championship teams make championship-winning plays, and Howden was able to steal the puck in the Mammoth zone and bury the potential series-changing goal.

After blowing a third period lead for the third time this series, Utah will be in need of answers to their struggles if they want to force a Game 7 on their home ice.

"We know they have to come through Salt Lake, they have to come to Utah," Tourigny said. "We are happy about the way we played. I think we progressed in our game. It was a hard-fought game and I'm proud of the performance from the boys."

Game 6 is set for Friday in Salt Lake City at 8 p.m. MDT.

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