- Howden scored twice in Game 2, tying the Vegas record of 13 goals in one postseason
- No NHL player had ever topped a 12-goal regular season in the playoffs until now
- Read below for video of both goals and the full numbers
Brett Howden keeps dragging his name into the Vegas record books.
The 28-year-old scored twice in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday night, running his postseason total to 13 goals. That ties Jonathan Marchessault’s franchise record for a single playoff year, set during the 2023 Cup run.
Goal No. 12 came at 13:33 of the first period. Howden chased down Mitch Marner’s backhand flip out of the Carolina zone, beat Sean Walker in a footrace, and wired it past Frederik Andersen:
No. 13 might’ve been even better. Seconds after a Hurricanes penalty kill expired, Howden grabbed the puck at the blue line, powered past Jaccob Slavin, and tucked it under Andersen’s right skate. Check out the video:
Howden was asked about the two goals afterward, and he pushed the credit to Marner and Ivan Barbashev.
“Two great plays,” Howden said. “One, Mitch put the puck in a perfect spot. I just looked down and the puck was there and I felt I had an edge on him. Then ‘Barbie’ made a great play on the second one. I just tried using my speed up the middle there and he found me in a great spot.”
And it gets sillier. Howden scored 12 goals in 58 regular-season games this year. No player in NHL history had scored a dozen in the regular season and then topped it in the same spring:
His 10 road goals lead every skater this postseason too. Only Sam Bennett, with 13 for Florida last year, and Mark Scheifele, with 11 for Winnipeg in 2018, have ever scored more away from home in a single playoff run.
Three of the 13 have been game-winners, matching what Howden managed in four previous playoff trips combined. He also picked up a goal and an assist in Game 1’s comeback win. If Vegas pulls this series out, he belongs in the Conn Smythe conversation.
None of it mattered Thursday night. Carolina ripped off three goals in the third, Vegas forced overtime in the final minute, and Seth Jarvis ended it on a power play to even the series 1-1. Game 3 goes Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena.
