Jonathan Marchessault hailed by fans as he scores hat-trick in Game 6 - "Best player on the ice tonight"

Jonathan Marchessault scored three goals as the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 in Game 6 of their second-round series on Sunday night. They advance to the Western Conference final for the fourth time in their six-year existence.

This performance earned Marchessault his second playoff hat trick.

“We’re only halfway done to our goal here,” Marchessault said after the game. “We’re going to keep going until our organization, we win the ultimate goal. Tonight is just one step in the right direction.”

Fans praised Marchessault on Twitter as his performance lifted the Golden Knights:

For the Golden Knights, Reilly Smith and William Karlsson both scored, and Ivan Barbashev provided two assists. In his third postseason appearance, Adin Hill ended with 39 saves.

Edmonton took a 2-1 lead less than three minutes into the game thanks to goals from Connor McDavid and Warren Foegele in the opening frame. Jack Campbell stopped all four shots he saw in the third period after Stuart Skinner had allowed four goals on 17 shots through two periods.

The winner of the series between Dallas and Seattle (which will go to a Game 7 on Monday night) will play Vegas next.

Twelve players from the Golden Knights' first 2017–18 squad, who advanced to the Stanley Cup final, are still on the roster. Hence, It's a fairly experienced squad and knows what it means to perform in clutch games.

Jonathan Marchessault's time with the Vegas Golden Knights

Jonathan Marchessault #81 of the Las Vegas Golden Knights

After scoring 30 goals in 2016–17, Cap-Rouge, Quebec native Jonathan Marchessault was chosen by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft (via the Florida Panthers).

Marchessault soon proved it was a wise choice by settling in quickly alongside William Karlsson and Reilly Smith on the first line.

He finished second behind Karlsson in scoring with an NHL career-high 75 points, earning him a five-year, $30 million deal on January 3, 2018.

On November 5, 2022, during the Golden Knights' 6-4 victory over the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre, Marchessault became the first player with 300 points for the team. He recorded a goal and an assist in the game.

This tells the story of Jonathan Marchessault with Vegas. He has been the spine of the team and steps up when the lights shine brightest. He proved his worth again against the Oilers, and look for him to continue this form in the next round.