The first story line is that a few VGK fans might be scheduling EKGs with their doctors today to make sure there was no lasting damage to their hearts from last night’s game. Those whose heart rate didn’t flutter a few times in Vegas’ 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks have nerves of steel and ice water in their veins.
I’ve had countless viewing experiences of NHL playoff hockey in the past 40-plus years, but even I could have auditioned for a Jack in the Box commercial. I was up. I was down. I was pacing like an expecting father. I was yelling at the TV. I admit I even screamed a few times, especially when they ruled that there was no goalie interference on Evander Kane’s goal that closed the 3-1 Vegas lead to 3-2.
The original story line was created early in the game. Once again, Marc Andre Fleury was amazing. He saved the game, literally by himself, in the first period as San Jose created scoring chance after scoring chance and had 16 shots. Fleury stopped them all.
The second story line of the game was the continuation of the parade to the penalty box that started in Game 2. Vegas committed three penalties in the second period alone. They killed off the first penalty, on Reilly Smith for hooking. But when the Timo Meier scored the Sharks’ first goal of the game, William Carrier was off for tripping.
A similar story line was that San Jose joined the parade. They committed three minor penalties in second period, during which Colin Miller and Jonathan Marchessault scored back-to-back power-play goals only 3 minutes and 29 seconds apart to go ahead 2-1.
One minute and 17 seconds after Marchessault’s goal, Reilly Smith scored, putting VGK up by 3-1. Granted, Smith missed a number of games after being injured, but it was his first goal since March 2.
This is where the story line got familiar. A two-goal lead in the second period was the same as Vegas held in Game 2. I assumed that they wouldn’t blow another two-goal lead in a crucial swing game in this series. If not, it would make Marchessault’s the winning goal — fitting, as Marchessault double OT goal was taken off the board when the NHL ruled he interfered with Martin Jones just prior to scoring.
Evander Kane cut the lead to just one goal with a wicked snap shot that somehow found a small opening just over Fleury’s left shoulder. But Logan Couture bumped into Fleury just as Kane’s shot entered the net, leading to goaltender interference review number three in just three games. On the replay, it appeared that this one would be the first to go in favor of the VGK. When that didn’t happen, Coach Gallant threw his hands in the air in complete disgust and the two-goal lead was down to just one with 12 minutes and 11 seconds to play.
Tomas Hertl tied up the game with 1:57 left. He made a power move from behind the net, beating both Deryk Engelland and Shea Theodore in a mad scramble.
William Karlsson almost won it with just a few seconds left in regulation; he came out from behind the San Jose net, only to be denied by Martin Jones.
On to overtime, another familiar story line. It was now the second overtime game in a row, the VGK’s third in the playoffs, and more EKG appointments texted to Vegas doctors.
Back to the Fleury story, he made the save of the entire 2018 playoffs so far, when he robbed Game 2 double-overtime winner Logan Couture. Couture was wide open 15 feet in front of Fleury, who made a spectacular glove save. The look on Couture’s face was priceless. He, along with everyone else watching, thought San Jose had just won Game 3.
Enter James Neal, who’s been an absolute beast in this series; he rang one off the post. Another shot that beat Martin Jones, but rang off the cross bar, would have ended the game and regained home ice advantage for Vegas. Someone tweeted that the overtime had so far taken 10 years off his son’s life — and his son is only a year old.
Back to Fleury, whose magic was not to be denied. The Hockey Gods owed a game to Vegas and in a play that was very similar to the winner in Game 2 against L.A. Kings in Round 1, James Neal was flying through the neutral zone and drew both Shark defensemen toward him as he approached the blue line. Just like his pass to Eric Haula streaking down the right wing against the Kings, he dished the puck off to William Karlsson, who ripped a perfect shot over the stick side and right shoulder of Jones to win the game at the 8:17 mark of OT.
I do try to be neutral and unbiased when I’m covering this team, but I must admit it’s not easy. The VGK have captured the hearts and souls of Las Vegas and, as I’ve recently discovered, the hearts of fans worldwide.
Enne Bond, a dealer at Mandalay Bay who got into hockey because of the Golden Knights, was curious between Rounds 1 and 2 and asked fans on social media where they lived. He heard from Australia, Canada, Denmark, England, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Kuwait, Lithuania, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Scotland, South Africa, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Even the VGK organization has tapped into this worldwide appeal. They asked fans via Twitter: “Where’s everyone watching the game from tonight?” They were stunned at their reach. They contacted fans from faraway places via direct message, sent them shirts, and created the hashtag #VGKWorldwide
The number-one line of Karlsson, Marchessault, and Smith, which was somewhat quiet in Round 1, has exploded. Smith is on a six-game scoring streak with one goal and 8 assists for 9 points; Karlsson has a five-game point streak going with 4 goals and 5 assists for 9 points also. Marchessault has scored 2 goals and 6 assists for 8 points in 7 games.
Tomas Tatar was inserted into the lineup tonight, making his first appearance in Round 2. Ryan Carpenter was scratched to make room for Tatar.
In another ironic twist, 7-7-7 is a number that’s often associated with Las Vegas. So let me point out to you that in this Round 2 series, 7 goals have been scored in all 3 games for a 7-7-7. Numerology at its finest.
Check out that twitter hash tag to see where your fellow VGK fans are around the world before we all watch Game 4 on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in San Jose.
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