In the NHL, certain games feel like must-wins, and for the Vegas Golden Knights, Thursday night's clash with the Seattle Kraken was one of those opportunities that slipped away. Despite holding a third-period lead, the Knights couldn't seal the deal, ultimately falling 4-3 in a tense shootout.

Vegas started strong, with captain Mark Stone opening the scoring in the first period. Capitalizing on a clever play from defenseman Rasmus Andersson, Stone found himself alone in the slot and buried a point-blank shot past Kraken goalie Joey Daccord. The captain wasn't done, doubling the lead early in the second on a slick backdoor play from Jack Eichel during a power play.

Seattle clawed one back on a Jared McCann power-play goal, but the Knights responded. A Kraken turnover led to an odd-man rush, finished expertly by Brett Howden off a Mitch Marner feed, restoring a comfortable two-goal cushion in the third.

Then, the momentum shifted on a cruel bounce. A puck took an unexpected carom off the boards behind Adin Hill, leaving Berkly Catton with an empty net to make it 3-2. Just three minutes later, a failed clearance led to Bobby McMann's tying snipe, sending the game to overtime and, ultimately, a shootout where Seattle prevailed in the fifth round.

This result stings in the tight Pacific Division race. Coupled with Anaheim's win, the Golden Knights are now tied for second, just a single point ahead of the chasing Edmonton Oilers. The team will look to regroup quickly as their road trip continues with a high-stakes showdown against the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.