Despite all of this, the VGK overcame a 2-0 deficit by scoring two unanswered goals in regulation and one in the shootout to defeat Tampa Bay, the number-one team in the NHL, 3-2 and snap a franchise-record four-game losing streak.
Vegas outshot Tampa 6-0 in the overtime. It should also be noted that my theory, that the next team scoring in a 2-0 game seems to be the favorite to win the game, came through once again. When I mentioned this in a previous post, one of my readers was willing to bet a valuable body part that my 0-2 theory is nonsense. Good thing for him I didn’t take him up on this bet.
In a game that many predicted would result in the VGK losing streak extending to five, they were proven wrong, but it took all of 65 minutes, plus 6 shooters in the shootout, before the unexpected result was made official.
It was a game that had many twists and turns, but never a lead change, until the last shot of the game by Alex Tuch wound up behind Tampa Bay goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, who had stopped 35 of the 37 shots Vegas was credited with. Vasilevskiy came into tonight’s game with 21 wins and only 6 losses.
Vegas never led. Once again, a ruling from the War Room in Toronto went against the VGK. The Vegas power play continued to struggle, going 0-3. They had two power-play chances late in the game, including one during the 5-minute overtime when Tampa was issued a penalty for too many men on the ice.
They continue to struggle with the man advantage; their entry with the puck into their offensive zone is horrendous. On their first power play, Tampa Bay actually had a 2-on-1 odd-man rush on Fleury.
All four officials missed a dangerous boarding penalty on Ryan Carpenter by Cedric Paquette that should have resulted in a 5-minute power play for the Knights. Carpenter had to be assisted off the ice after striking the side of his head against the top of the boards. He initially appeared to be knocked unconscious as he lay on the ice. A short time later, he was being assisted off by his teammates when he brushed them off to skate toward the bench unassisted. That, however, was short-lived; he lost his balance and was on his way to falling backwards when his teammates following him on the ice prevented this. He never returned to the game and there was no update. On social media, a friend of the Carpenter family reported that he passed concussion protocol. It’s not an official report, but it’s a lot more than the team has been willing to share with the media concerning all off their injuries this season.
Cedric Paquette is no stranger to this exact kind of hit. He was issued a penalty for a similar hit this season vs. the Boston Bruins. How tonight’s hit wasn’t considered an infraction is baffling. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Department of Player Safety reviews this hit and issues a suspension and/or fine.
The numbers were not in favor of a Vegas win last night. Tampa Bay owned a 22-3-2 record entering the third period with a lead, while Vegas had a mediocre 12-11-1 when entering the third trailing.
The often-maligned Jon Merrill made a super pass from behind the net to Cody Eakin, who was breaking through the neutral zone with his stick held high trying to catch Merrill’s eye. The pass was tape to tape, caught the Tampa defense flat-footed, and allowed Eakin a breakaway on Vasilevskiy. Eakin’s goal initiated the comeback. You could feel the momentum of the game change after that.
Valentin Zykov completed the comeback by taking a between-the-legs pass from William Karlsson to score his first goal as a VGK and tie the game up.
Vegas finally played a full 60-minute game and continued to dominate for the extra 5 minutes of overtime.
The game pitted the #1 power-play unit of the Tampa Bay Lightning against the #2 penalty-killing unit of the Vegas Golden Knights. The Knights held up their end by stopping four of Tampa Bay’s five power plays. The one power play goal that Tampa scored was a bit of a lucky bounce, as Brayden McNabb blocked Nikita Kucherov’s shot with his skates, then lost the puck in his skates as he was ready to safely clear it out of the zone. Brayden Point picked it up from between McNabb’s skates and fired a blistering shot over Fleury’s right shoulder for the 1-0 lead that Tampa never surrendered until Alex Tuch nailed one in the shootout.
The second Tampa Bay goal was initially ruled no goal by the on-ice officials due to goaltender interference, but was overruled by the War Room. We’re told that there has to be indisputable evidence to overturn a call on the ice. I’ve watched the replay at least six times. It appears to me that Mathieu Joseph makes contact with Fleury while Fleury’s skate is still in the blue paint before Colin Miller (not Jon Merrill, as I originally wrote) pushes him further into the crease, causing additional contact with Fleury. It’s a close call, but I see nothing that’s enough to overturn the no goal.
This goal started with Joseph making a strong forecheck on Nate Schmidt, forcing him to prematurely push the puck along the right boards toward Reaves and Bellemare, who collided. The puck came loose for Braydon Coburn, who dished it off to Stamkos. He sent it toward the net where Joseph and Jon Merrill stood in front of Fleury.
Maybe it’s me, but my memory is that the VGK comes out on the wrong side of calls from the War Room more than the right side.
The Zykov experiment of playing with Karlsson and Marchessault seems to be working, as he looks very comfortable, and the entire line looked good last night, minus Karlsson taking a penalty in the offensive zone.
On the flip side, Reilly Smith seems lost on the third line and his presence hasn’t helped Pirri at all. Pirri didn’t even register a shot on net in last night’s game. Cody Eakin, the center of this line, did have a goal, but neither Smith nor Pirri contributed to it.
Gallant may have been happy post-game, but he sure had a lot to say about the overturned goal and even more about the missed call on the hit on Carpenter. The lip readers had the best understanding of his feelings during the game.
The game held a second scary moment for the VGK. While taking a faceoff, Paul Stastny got tangled up with a Tampa player and fell awkwardly. Paul headed for the locker room, followed by the team’s trainer, which is usually never a good sign, but fortunately, he returned to the bench. Another injury at this time of the year would be bad news for the VGK.
My 3 Stars of the Game: Valentin Zykov (1 goal, 5 SOG), Andrei Vasilevskiy (35 saves on 37 shots), Alex Tuch (winning goal in the shootout).
The next game is tomorrow against the Red Wings in Detroit at 4:30 p.m.
Your comments and opinions are welcome and appreciated here at Las Vegas Advisor (to comment, you just have to register on the site, which takes all of 30 seconds and is free, of course). You can also contact me directly at [email protected] or visit my Facebook page, Vegas Hockey Guy.
And for the most comprehensive coverage of the Vegas Golden Knights’ historic inaugural season, take a look at our book Vegas Golden Knights—How a First-Year Expansion Team Healed Las Vegas and Shocked the Hockey World.
Never miss another post
Contribution from a reader
Good article, except I believe it was Miller involved in the Joseph/Fleury GI situation.
Danielle thank you for the correction this happens sometimes when I just finished looking at my notes on Merrill pass to break out Eakin and then start putting together my opinion of the overturned goal.. Leaving Miller out and bringing Merrill in. He already gets blamed for enough things that happen on the ice without me adding to it.