Golden Knights rally past Maple Leafs on Jack Eichel’s OT goal

Hockey, sometimes, is theater.

What happens on the ice dictates that 99 percent of the time. Then there are those games where the atmosphere can make it a near 50-50 split.

All of that created the game of the year at T-Mobile Arena on Thursday night.

The Vegas Golden Knights rallied from two goals down in the third period, tied it in the final seconds of regulation and won it in overtime on Jack Eichel’s game-winner with 2:16 left to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-5.

Eichel, who finished with four points, walked in alone on Toronto goaltender Joseph Woll off a turnover and roofed a backhand to give the Knights (23-11-12) their sixth straight win.

The Knights trailed 5-3 with 11 minutes remaining, but rallied when Mark Stone scored for the ninth time in 10 games with 9:56 left. The captain extended his point streak to 10 games.

Then, center Tomas Hertl tied it with seven seconds remaining with an extra attacker while a Maple Leafs player was also without his stick.

The Knights played, and won, their second straight overtime game after defeating the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 in Los Angeles on Wednesday night.

“It’s nice to get back-to-back wins in OT because we’ve been a lot on the losing side,” Hertl said.

And somehow, the comeback wasn’t the biggest part of the story.

A raucous chorus of boos echoed every time Mitch Marner touched the puck.

Yes, this was a home game.

“They travel well and they have a passionate fan base,” Marner said. “They always have.”

But that gives you an idea of how many Maple Leafs fans were there to watch, and jeer, their hometown hero after leaving them this summer. Marner had two assists in his first meeting against his former team.

It marked the first time Marner faced the team that took him fourth overall in the 2015 draft. The Knights acquired him in a sign-and-trade from Toronto on July 1, then signed him to an eight-year, $96 million contract.

“I think once the puck dropped, it felt like another hockey game,” Marner said. “But you always want to beat your buddies.”

Marner was the last forward announced in the starting lineup. Even with PA announcer Bruce Cusick’s best efforts to capture the moment, the boos were crystal clear.

Marner will get a more customary welcome on Jan. 23 when he plays a game at Scotiabank Arena as a visitor for the first time.

If Thursday was any indication of what’s to come a week from now, Marner is going to be in for an interesting homecoming.

“We know how much it means to him. And because it means that much to him, it means that much to us, too,” Eichel said. “It meant a lot to us to get the win.”

The Maple Leafs, whether it was the emotion of facing their former teammate or the traveling fans, played inspired.

They tagged the returning Adin Hill for three goals on 15 shots in the first period to take a 3-1 lead. Hill, making his first start since Oct. 20 because of a lower-body injury, finished with 23 saves.

Pavel Dorofeyev scored twice on the power play. His goal that would’ve completed the hat trick with 4:10 remaining, and tie the game, was called back due to offsides.

And somehow, someway, the Knights still won.

There are 36 games left in the season. There’s plenty of time left with an Olympic break sprinkled in. Given everything, this is a game that can be looked back on come playoff time.

Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.