Golden Knights win the Pacific Division title, beating the Kraken 4-1

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Mitch Marner broke a third-period tie and the Vegas Golden Knights won the Pacific Division for the fifth time in their nine-year history, beating the Seattle Kraken 4-1 on Wednesday night to close the regular season.

Two points ahead of Edmonton entering the night, Vegas needed only a point to win the Pacific and set up a first-round series against Utah. Edmonton will finish play Thursday night at home against Vancouver.

Reilly Smith had two late goals, Shea Theodore also scored and Carter Hart made 22 saves to help Vegas win its third straight. The Golden Knights finished 39-26-17, going 7-0-1 since John Tortorella took over as coach for the fired Bruce Cassidy.

Shane Wright scored for Seattle, and Nikke Kokko stopped 22 shots. The Kraken have lost two straight to fall to 34-36-11 with a game left Thursday night at Colorado.

Marner gave Vegas a 2-1 lead at 1:23 of the third. Off a faceoff, defenseman Brayden McNabb took a long, straightaway shot that Marner tipped in for his 24th goal of the season.

Theodore tied it with 2:25 left in the second. The defenseman got the puck at the right point off a faceoff, moved to the top of the circle and fired a wrist shot past Kokko's glove.

Wright opened the scoring at 2:24 of the second after missing the previous eight games because of an upper-body injury.

Golden Knights captain Mark Stone played his 400th game for the franchise.

Kraken: At Colorado on Thursday night.

Golden Knights: Host Utah in the first round of the playoffs.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore (27) celebrates after scoring against the Seattle Kraken during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone, right, celebrates after Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner (93) scored against the Seattle Kraken during the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Vegas Golden Knights center Brett Howden (21) attempts to tip is pasy Seattle Kraken goaltender Nikke Kokko (39) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Seattle Kraken defenseman Ryker Evans (41) skates against Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin (15) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

ATLANTA (AP) — Bryce Elder pitched scoreless ball into the sixth inning, three Atlanta players homered and the Braves won another series with a 6-3 victory over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night.

Ozzie Albies, Austin Riley and Matt Olson went deep for the first-place Braves, who took two of three from Miami for their fifth series win. They split their other series, a four-game set at Arizona.

Considered the weak link in the rotation coming into the season, Elder (2-1) lowered his ERA through four starts to 0.77. He limited the Marlins to four hits over 5 2/3 innings, with two walks and seven strikeouts.

Albies put the home team ahead with his fourth homer of the season, a 370-foot drive off Chris Paddack (0-3) that just cleared the right-field wall. The Braves followed with three straight singles, including Mauricio Dubón's run-scoring liner that made it 2-0.

The Marlins appeared to halve the deficit in the fifth when Xavier Edwards was ruled safe at first on an attempted double play with the bases loaded. The Braves challenged, and the call was overturned when the replay showed the throw from shortstop Dubón landing in Olson's glove just before Edwards' cleats landed on first base for the third out.

Riley, off to a sluggish start, tacked on his first homer of the season in the sixth by sending one into the left-field seats off John King. Olson added a two-run homer against Andrew Nardi in the seventh.

Miami's Liam Hicks broke up the shutout in the eighth with a two-run homer. Robert Suárez escaped further trouble with an inning-ending double play, and Raisel Iglesias struck out the side in the ninth for his fourth save.

Marlins: RHP Janson Junk (0-2, 4.32 ERA) will make his fourth start of the season Friday when Miami hosts the Milwaukee Brewers to begin a three-game series.

Braves: After an off day, Atlanta heads to Philadelphia to open a three-game series Friday. LHP Martin Perez (0-1, 3.14) will rejoin the big league roster to go against RHP Taijuan Walker (1-2, 7.36).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Atlanta Braves' Ozzie Albies rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the second inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Atlanta Braves pitcher Bryce Elder delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Atlanta Braves' Mauricio Dubón hits an RBI single in the second inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Atlanta Braves' Ozzie Albies hits a solo home run in the second inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Miami Marlins pitcher Chris Paddack delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)