LAS VEGAS (Interstat) — Jack Eichel scored a backhand goal 8:44 into overtime to complete a dramatic comeback as the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-5 on Thursday night at T-Mobile Arena. Eichel finished with a goal and three assists. The Golden Knights erased a three-goal deficit with a three-goal third period, capped by Pavel Dorofeyev’s second goal of the game to force overtime before a crowd of 17,975. Toronto built a 4-1 first-period lead on goals from Morgan Rielly, William Nylander and Auston Matthews. John Tavares and Scott Laughton also scored for the Maple Leafs. Mark Stone had a goal and two assists for Vegas. The win evened Vegas’ record at 23-23-0, while Toronto fell to 23-24-0. The teams meet again in Toronto next Friday.

LAS VEGAS (Interstat) — Jack Eichel capped a four-point night with the overtime winner as the Vegas Golden Knights stormed back from a three-goal deficit to stun the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-5 on Thursday night at T-Mobile Arena. Eichel, the game’s first star, collected a loose puck in the high slot and snapped a backhand past Toronto goaltender Joseph Woll 8:44 into the extra period, completing a dramatic rally before a sellout crowd of 17,975. The center from North Chelmsford, Massachusetts, finished with a goal and three assists, fueling a Vegas offense that scored three times in the third period to force overtime. The victory pushed the Golden Knights to a .500 record at 23-23-0, while the Maple Leafs fell to 23-24-0. Toronto dominated the opening frame, building a commanding 3-1 lead. Defenseman Morgan Rielly opened the scoring just over two minutes in, converting a setup from William Nylander and John Tavares. Nylander doubled the advantage at 5:03, finishing a backhand off a feed from Matias Maccelli. Vegas briefly interrupted the surge when Pavel Dorofeyev hammered a slap shot past Woll on a power play at 8:12, with assists from Mitch Marner and Eichel. But Auston Matthews restored the two-goal cushion for Toronto with a tip-in at 19:57, sending the Maple Leafs to the intermission firmly in control. The second period saw the Maple Leafs extend their lead. After Vegas forward Keegan Kolesar cut the deficit to 3-2 with a wrist shot at 10:51, Toronto captain John Tavares answered on the power play. He deflected a Maccelli shot for his 17th goal of the season at 24:46, making it 4-2. Toronto carried that two-goal lead into the final period of regulation. The third period belonged entirely to the relentless Golden Knights. The comeback began in earnest at 10:14 when Mark Stone deflected an Ivan Barbashev shot, with Eichel earning the secondary assist. The momentum fully shifted during a Toronto penalty. Just seven seconds into the man advantage, Dorofeyev netted his second of the night, a backhand from the slot at 6:10 to tie the game 4-4, with Marner and Tomas Hertl assisting. Toronto’s Scott Laughton briefly silenced the building, snapping a wrist shot past Vegas goalie Adin Hill at 24:58 to put the Maple Leafs back ahead 5-4. But with Woll pulled for an extra attacker, the Golden Knights struck again. Hertl wired a wrist shot from the circle with just 2:07 remaining in regulation, set up by Eichel and Stone, to knot the score at 5 and stun the visitors. In overtime, both teams traded chances before Eichel ended it. After a Vegas possession sustained pressure, Shea Theodore kept the play alive at the blue line. The puck eventually came to Eichel, who made a quick move to his backhand and buried the game-winner, with Stone and Theodore credited with assists. Dorofeyev, with his two goals, and Stone, with a goal and two assists, were instrumental in the Vegas victory. For Toronto, Tavares and Nylander each had a goal and an assist, while Maccelli contributed two helpers. The game featured four minor penalties, two per side. Toronto’s Jake McCabe was called for slashing in the first period and tripping in the second. Vegas’s Tomas Hertl was penalized for hooking in the second, and Toronto’s Easton Cowan took a high-sticking minor in the third. Vegas goaltender Adin Hill made 31 saves to earn the win, while Joseph Woll stopped 44 shots in the losing effort for Toronto. The result defied the pregame projections. National Statistical’s game simulator had projected a 4-3 Vegas victory, and its ELO system gave the Golden Knights a 52% probability to win. Vegas had been installed as a 1.5-goal favorite, and the combined 11 goals went well over the over/under line of 6.5. The Golden Knights, who have won four of their last five, host the Nashville Predators on Saturday. The Maple Leafs, who saw a two-game win streak snapped, continue their road trip in Winnipeg against the Jets on Saturday. The two teams are scheduled for a rematch in Toronto next Friday.

Preview: Maple Leafs at Golden Knights LAS VEGAS (Interstat) — Two teams hovering near the .500 mark will look to build momentum when the Toronto Maple Leafs visit the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night at T-Mobile Arena. Both clubs enter with identical 23-23 overall records, though their recent paths have diverged. The Maple Leafs are looking to rebound from a 6-1 road loss to the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday. That defeat snapped a three-game winning streak for Toronto, which had earned points in five of its previous six contests (4-1-1). Vegas, meanwhile, carries a four-game winning streak into Thursday’s matchup, most recently a 7-2 rout in San Jose on Sunday. The Golden Knights’ offense has reignited during the run, averaging 5.0 goals per game. A key player to watch for the Golden Knights is center Tomas Hertl, who has been instrumental in the surge. Hertl is coming off a dominant five-point performance (two goals, three assists) against the Sharks and has recorded nine points (three goals, six assists) over the active four-game win streak. For the Maple Leafs, forward Calle Jarnkrok will aim to provide a spark. He scored the team’s lone goal in the loss to Utah and has goals in two of his last five games. The teams are scheduled to meet again in Toronto just one week later, on Jan. 23. According to National Statistical’s game simulator, the projected final score is Vegas 4, Toronto 3. UP NEXT Maple Leafs: Visit the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday. Golden Knights: Host the Nashville Predators on Saturday.