Vegas 3, Vancouver 2.

It wasn't pretty for stretches, but when Marc Gatcomb put the puck past Lankinen just 34 seconds after Vancouver tied it, the lead was in place — and Vegas walked away with a 3-2 win to move to 2-1 on the season.

The story of the night was Mitch Marner. And the story of the season so far is a team that keeps finding ways to win even when they make it harder than it needs to be.

First Period: Vancouver Strikes on the Power Play

The first period belonged to the Canucks.

Former Knight Paul Cotter opened the scoring at 18:52 on a power play — Filip Hronek and Elias Pettersson with the assists — and Vegas couldn't find an answer before the horn. The Golden Knights were generating shots (28 on the night) but not the right ones, and Vancouver's structure in the neutral zone was making it difficult to get anything clean.

Adin Hill was solid in the first, keeping it a one-goal game when it could have been worse. Vegas outshot Vancouver 28-20 on the night, but the Canucks were the sharper team early.

Second Period: Three Goals in Nine Minutes, Then Chaos

The second period was the game.

Mitch Marner, 9:01. Brayden McNabb fed him the puck in the left circle and Marner with a nice fake — a clean, confident shot that tied it at one. His first goal this season, Marner looked like himself: calm, decisive, and dangerous in space.

Victor Olofsson, 14:30. A power play goal that put Vegas ahead for the first time. Mark Stone and Jack Eichel with the assists — Eichel now up to five helpers through three games. Olofsson's shot was perfectly placed.

Then Vancouver made it interesting.

Jonathan Lekkerimäki, 17:54. Lucas Karlsson and Luke Schenn with the assists. A goal that silenced the building and tied it at two with just over two minutes left in the period. Vegas had been in control, and suddenly they weren't.

Marc Gatcomb, 18:28. Thirty-four seconds later, Gatcomb answered. Braeden Bowman and Nic Dowd with the assists. A goal that felt like a gut punch for Vancouver and a lifeline for Vegas. The kind of response that wins hockey games — not letting a tying goal linger, not letting the momentum shift, just going right back down the ice and scoring.

That's 3-2 Vegas heading to the third, and that's how it ended.

Third Period: Hill Holds the Line

Vancouver pushed hard in the third. They had chances. They outshot Vegas in the final frame and had a couple of moments where it felt like they might find the equalizer.

Adin Hill didn't let them.

Hill was sharp for almost the entire game. He finished with 18 saves on 20 shots — not a flashy night, but a composed one. He made the saves he needed to make in the third period, and that's the version of Hill this team needs to see more of.

Vegas killed time, blocked shots, and got the two points.

What 2-1 Means

The Golden Knights aren't a perfect team. They gave up a tying goal with two minutes left in the second period and nearly let a comfortable lead evaporate. They'll need to be better in those moments as the season goes on.

But they also have a team that responds. Gatcomb's goal 34 seconds after Vancouver tied it wasn't luck — it was a team that refused to let the momentum shift. That's a good sign.

Next up: the schedule continues to take shape. For now, Vegas takes the two points and moves on.

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