LAS VEGAS — Mark Stone scored his fourth goal in three games and combined with Jack Eichel for seven points as the Golden Knights defeated the Winnipeg Jets 6-2 on Monday night to move Vegas closer to winning a fifth Pacific Division title in its nine seasons.
The Jets were eliminated from the playoff race officially on Monday after the Los Angeles Kings defeated the Seattle Kraken earlier in the night to clinch the final spot in the Western Conference.
"It sucks," Jets forward Mark Scheifele told reporters. "We were pushing until the end. It's a tough reality. That's just the game of hockey."
Winnipeg is just the fifth reigning Presidents' Trophy winner to miss the playoffs the following season.
A victory over visiting Seattle in Wednesday night's regular-season finale will give the Golden Knights the division title and home-ice advantage through at least the first two rounds of the NHL playoffs.
Vegas has not lost in regulation since coach John Tortorella (6-0-1) took over after Bruce Cassidy was fired.
Eichel had a goal and three assists, and Stone added a goal and two assists.
Ivan Barbashev and Rasmus Andersson each had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights, and Reilly Smith and Pavel Dorofeyev each scored a goal. Dorofeyev extended his club record for power-play goals in a season to 20.
Noah Hanifin had two assists and Carter Hart finished with 21 saves.
Scheifele recorded a goal and assist to set a Jets single-season scoring record with 101 points. Marian Hossa had 100 in the 2006-07 season.
Gabriel Vilardi also had a goal and assist for the Jets, and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 32 shots.
"We went from 11 points down to one at one time. It's a tough feeling. I know the guys are hurting," Jets coach Scott Arniel said.
"We all want to be in the playoffs, that's what our job is and our role is. When you get the reality of it, it sucks."
The Golden Knights dominated from the beginning, outshooting the Jets 10-3 in the first period, but failed to get the puck past Hellebuyck. They finally did a 7:38 of the second on Stone's short-handed breakaway.
Penalties were the theme in that period, the teams combining for eight of them. Vegas nearly scored on a power play late in the third, but Smith's deflection of Hanifin's shot from the point came just after the penalty time expired.
The team combined for 15 penalties in the game.
Up next
Jets: Visit Utah on Tuesday.
Golden Knights: Host Seattle on Wednesday.
4:18