Mammoth Fall Just Short in Vegas Thriller, Knights Edge 5-4

The Golden Knights survived a late Mammoth surge to escape with a 5-4 home victory in what turned into a track meet at T-Mobile Arena. Vegas looked comfortable early, building what seemed like a controlling lead, but the Mammoth refused to go quietly and made this one sweat down the stretch.

Credit to the visitors for showing backbone when the game could've gotten away from them. They clawed back into striking distance and had the Knights checking the clock nervously in the final minutes. But ultimately, Vegas did just enough to protect home ice, even if the margin was razor-thin.

Five goals at home should feel dominant, yet somehow the Knights made it feel precarious. That's the kind of defensive sloppiness that'll haunt you come playoff time. The Mammoth, meanwhile, can take heart in the fight but moral victories don't earn points. Coming into a tough building and nearly stealing one is admirable; actually closing the deal is what separates contenders from also-rans.

No DarkHorse pick on this one, so we're just spectators watching two teams trade haymakers. The Knights get the two points, but they'll need tighter defending if they want to be taken seriously when games truly matter. The Mammoth showed they can score with anyone—now prove you can finish.