Golden Knights beat the Canucks 3-2 on Gatcomb’s go-ahead goal

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Marc Gatcomb scored the go-ahead goal late on the second period and the Vegas Golden Knights downed the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 on Sunday night.

Mitch Marner scored his first goal of the season and Victor Olofsson added a power-play score for the Golden Knights. Adin Hill stopped 17 of the 19 shots he faced, including a key save midway through the third when he slid well out of his crease to deny Liam Ohgren on a short-handed breakaway.

Canucks winger Paul Cotter opened the scoring with a power-play goal late in the first period, extending his season-opening point streak to four games with four goals and two assists across that stretch.

Jonathan Lekkerimaki also scored for Vancouver while Kevin Lankinen made 25 saves in a bounceback performance from Thursday night when he gave up eight goals on 20 shots in the Canucks’ 9-7 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.

After putting up 17 goals over their first three games of the season, Vancouver struggled to generate offense against Vegas, with just 19 shots in the game.

The Golden Knights had ample scoring opportunities with five power plays and found success with the extra man with a five-forward unit.

The Golden Knights took the 2-1 lead with a power-play goal at the 14:30 mark of the second after Lankinen stopped a shot from Jack Eichel. The rebound popped out to Mark Stone at the goal line and he sent a pass to Olofsson, who fired a shot into the top of the net to make it 2-1 for Vegas.

Vegas has now won eight straight games against Vancouver dating to Dec. 19, 2024.

Canucks: Begin a six-game road trip on Thursday night against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Golden Knights: Visit the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday night.

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

Vancouver Canucks' Tom Willander (5) knocks down Las Vegas Golden Knights' Brett Howden (21) as he crashes the net of goalie Kevin Lankinen (32) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (Rich Lam/The Canadian Press via AP)

Las Vegas Golden Knights' Ivan Barbashev's (49) redirect is stopped by Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen (32) as Canucks' Filip Hronek (17) tries to help defend on the play during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (Rich Lam/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Canucks' goalie Kevin Lankinen (32) makes a pad save as Las Vegas Golden Knights' Brett Howden (21) looks for a rebound during an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (Rich Lam/The Canadian Press via AP)

Las Vegas Golden Knights' Tomas Hertl (48) tries to fight of the check of Vancouver Canucks' Paul Cotter (47) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (Rich Lam/The Canadian Press via AP)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Bryce Young completed 29 of 41 passes for 329 yards and two touchdowns to Tetairoa McMillan, who had 14 catches for a career-high 192 yards, and the Carolina Panthers overcame an injury-filled week to beat the Detroit Lions 32-26 on Sunday night.

Chuba Hubbard ran 20 times for a season-high 122 yards and two touchdowns as the Panthers (2-2) scored on six straight possessions after punting on their opening drive.

With two of his top three wide receivers in Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette out with injuries, Young leaned heavily on McMillan, and the 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year responded in a big way.

McMillan had nine catches for 147 yards in the first half, including a 32-yard touchdown. He joined Steve Smith Sr. and Patrick Jeffers as the only Carolina players with at least 10 receptions, 150 yards receiving and two touchdown in a game and came one reception and 9 yards receiving shy of matching franchise single-game records.

Jared Goff threw for 412 yards and a touchdown to Sam LaPorta for Detroit (2-2) and Jahmyr Gibbs added 77 yards from scrimmage and scored his seventh touchdown of the year.

Young entered Week 4 leading the league in yards passing and the No. 1 overall pick in 2023 started by completing his first 11 passes.

The Lions were able to overcome McMillan's big first half and tie the game before the break. Jameson Williams hauled in a 49-yard reception down the middle against an injury-depleted Carolina secondary that lost starting cornerback Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson to injuries last week.

That set up Jake Bates' field goal to make it 16-all.

But Detroit's defense couldn't get off the field in the second half and Young repeatedly found an open McMillan.

Even after the Lions cut the lead to 32-26 with 3:38 left in the game on LaPorta's TD catch, McMillan made a toe-tapping reception along the right sideline for a first down that kept the clock moving.

Still, the Lions had a chance to win the game on their final drive, which started at their own 13 with 2:12 remaining. But Goff couldn't pick up a first down and Young knelt down twice to end it.

Lions: Cornerback Rock Ya-Sin left in the second half with a hamstring injury.

Panthers: Rookie right tackle Monroe Freeling, the team's first-round draft pick, injured a knee in the third quarter and did not return. Coker was inactive with a quadriceps injury. Linebacker Jaelan Phillips left in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury.

Lions: At Arizona next Sunday.

Panthers: Will have a chance to heal up with a bye next week before visiting Philadelphia on Oct. 18.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) scores a touchdown during an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) passes the ball during an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)

Carolina Panthers cornerback Akayleb Evans (29) pushes Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) out of bounds during an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) celebrates after he scores a touchdown during an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) celebrates after Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) scores a touchdown during an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)