Frank Franklin II / Associated Press
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill protects the net during the second period of the team’s NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y.
Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024 | 9:19 p.m.
NEW YORK — Adin Hill made 40 saves in his return from an injury, and the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the New York Islanders 3-2 on Tuesday night.
Ivan Barbashev and Nicolas Roy each had a goal and an assist for Vegas. Sheldon Rempal also scored, and the defending Stanley Cup champions rebounded from a 6-5 overtime loss Monday at New Jersey. Alex Pietrangelo added two assists.
Hill made his first start since Dec. 17. He had missed 22 of the previous 23 games with a lower-body injury.
“It was fun to get back into game action tonight and battle with my teammates,” Hill said. “I thought our guys played a good game. That’s a tough team over there.”
Brock Nelson and Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored for New York. Ilya Sorokin finished with 24 saves, but the Islanders dropped to 1-1 since new coach Patrick Roy took over when Lane Lambert was fired Saturday.
Vegas scored twice in 1:49 to take a 3-1 lead in the second period.
Rempal got his first career goal with a sharp-angle shot from the half wall that rang off the post and found the back of the net at 7:18.
“I’m going to remember every detail. Just an awesome moment,” Rempal said.
Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson committed a turnover following Rempal’s goal and Roy was able to bury a loose puck in front. Jonathan Marchessault and Barbashev assisted on the play.
Pageau scored short-handed to pull the Islanders within one at 9:26 of the third.
New York had three power-play chances in the final period but failed to score the equalizer.
“We certainly weren’t perfect,” Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. “I thought we competed harder to keep the puck out of our net and that was basically the ask after yesterday.”
Barbashev opened the scoring when he redirected Pietrangelo’s shot past Sorokin at 11:52 of the first. Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech failed to clear the puck, which led to the scoring opportunity.
Nelson got his 500th career point, all with the Islanders, at 3:35 of the second when he fired a wrist shot from the faceoff circle past Hill’s glove.
“Everything we needed to win a hockey game was there,” Islanders captain Anders Lee said. “We just couldn’t get the tying goal.”
