DETROIT — What could have been a successful five-game homestand for the Red Wings turned out to be just average.
Vegas scored early Saturday, and never lost control, as it defeated the Wings, 4-1.
That left the Wings (11-7-5) with a 2-2-1 record on this homestand, earning five of a possible 10 points. Not bad, but the Wings were hoping for more.
Especially with a difficult four-game trip beginning Sunday in Columbus.
Oskar Sundqvist (power play) had the Wings' goal, while goaltender Ville Husso stopped 21 shots.
Jack Eichel, Jonathan Marechessault (power play), Phil Kessel and Reilly Smith (empty net) had Vegas goals, and goalie Adin Hill stopped 24 shots.
Kessel's fifth goal gave Vegas (18-7-1) a 3-1 lead at 16:32 of the second period.
Just as the Wings' power play expired, the Knights' Nicolas Roy stripped the puck from Lucas Raymond and launched an outlet pass to Kessel, who was coming out of the penalty box.
Kessel skated in on a breakaway and snapped a shot past Husso.
Sundqvist had just cut the Knights' lead to 2-1 with his fourth goal and third in two games. Dominik Kubalik found Sundqvist alone in front of the crease and Sundqvist knocked the puck past goaltender Adin Hill.
Vegas opened the scoring on Eichel's 13th goal.
Chandler Stephenson wheeled in the corner and threw the puck out front, where Kessel, alone at the post, tapped the puck past Husso just 1:04 into the game.
That lead held until Vegas extended the margin to 2-0 on Marchessault's power-play goal.
After the Wings' rush was thwarted on one end, Vegas' Mark Stone started a break the other way, with Stone finding Shea Theodore, who found Marchessault trailing. Marchessault snapped a shot past Husso at 7:16 of the second period.
