Nic Dowd scored just one goal in 20 regular-season games after being traded by the Washington Capitals to the Vegas Golden Knights. And that goal was against the Capitals.
Dowd, however, didn’t wait long to make a big play for the Golden Knights in the postseason, scoring the game-winning goal in their 4-2 win over the Utah Mammoth in Game 1 of their First Round series.
Dowd’s tally was part of a Golden Knights rally late in the game. Down 2-1 in the third period, Mark Stone first scored on a power play at 5:33 of the third period to tie. Then, 1:47 later, Dowd found paydirt redirecting an indirect Noah Hanifin shot past Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka, giving the Golden Knights the lead.
“I didn’t do a lot,” Dowd said. “(Hanifin) made a great play getting it to me in the middle. I just found a little bit of space. There’s limited space out there, and guys are playing their best hockey defensively because everything matters that much more. It was a bang-bang play, and I was lucky enough to find a little bit of net.”
Ivan Barbashev would add an empty-net goal with 1:39 left to seal the victory.
Not only did Dowd get attention for his goal-scoring heroics, but the fourth-line center went viral on social media for a threat he appeared to issue to Mammoth forward Logan Cooley, who ironically grew up as a Capitals fan.
“I’m coming for you, and I’m gonna f***ing kill you,” Dowd appeared to say.
The trash talk seemed to stem from a fracas between the two teams after Barbashev’s empty-netter.
Dowd was asked about the moment after the game.
“No, I mean you know it’s gonna be a grind of a series,” he said. “I think it’s an emotional game, so I thought they played well tonight. But they put us in tough spots at times. I think pushback is good.”
“There’s going to be guys that grab you and try to bring you into the fight,” Cooley, who scored the first goal of the game with 11 seconds remaining in the first period, said. “You’ve got to make sure you’re sticking out for each other, getting each other’s back.”
Game 2 will be on Tuesday night at T-Mobile Arena.
