Jack Roslovic scored 34 seconds into his 600th career game, Easton Cowan added a breakaway goal at 3:20, and Nick Paul made it 3-0 at 8:37. Vegas still erased the deficit and won 4-3 when Trevor Connelly scored in the fifth round of the shootout.
The first period shows what this Toronto team can do when it plays at pace. Three goals in 8:37 came from an instant opener, a breakaway and a third strike before Vegas had settled. A lead built that fast depends on the other 50 minutes, because it gives the opponent a full game to adjust and rewards no one for the early surge once the pace drops.
The shootout is the least informative part of the night. Kirill Marchenko was the only Toronto scorer, and Hill stopped four of five attempts after making 21 saves in regulation and overtime. A skills competition decided by one goalie's night tells you little about the team. The three-goal lead that vanished tells you more, and it is the number to hold against Saturday's trip to Colorado.