Recap: Max Pacioretty took over the early part of the opening period scoring his 15th and 16th goals of the season. Pacioretty gave his team a 2-0 lead in the first 13 minutes of the contest. Late in the period, LA cut the lead in half scoring on Vegas goaltender Robin Lehner, who started his first game since February 2nd.
The King’s tied the game 2-2 in the 2nd period, but the Golden Knights offense wasn’t finished. William Karlsson deflected the tie-breaking goal with his 7th goal in 2021. After 40 minutes the Golden Knights held a 3-2 edge.
William Carrier broke his scoring drought with his first goal of the season in the 3rd period. Carrier’s goal gave the Golden Knights a 4-2 lead midway through the final frame.
After their 4-2 victory in LA, Vegas’ record improves to 21-6-1. The Golden Knights and King’s will face off again on Sunday. Sunday’s matinee is scheduled for 3 PM PT. (Recap by Jason)
Analysis: Like so many other games against the lesser West Division teams, the Golden Knights were just simply the better team tonight. They out-chanced them easily and showed they are better and up and down the lineup. Lehner showed well in his first start back. (Analysis by Ken)
Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center
- The Chandler Stephenson centered 1st line is dominating at NHL-high levels
Ken’s Three VGK Stars
*** Robin Lehner
** Max Pacioretty
* Chandler Stephenson
As good as the VGK PK has been, they might be even better when defending against the empty net.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) March 20, 2021
The difference between Chandler Stephenson as 1C and anyone else is noticeable.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) March 20, 2021
We went more than a month in which Stone and Pacioretty were goal scorer and primary assister on the same goal.
In March, they've done it 7 times.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) March 20, 2021
THE hockey GOD
Gold on Black
DOC (Go Knights Go)
Solid effort by the boys and Panda in his first game back!
Becoming clear that #20 IS a first line center. Speed and great passing/playmaking!
Stoney & Patch just keep doing it!
knights fan in minny
your right doc chandler is a good number 1 center fast as hell backchecks like crazy wont score a ton of goals i think he prides himself setting up patch and stone he works his butt of cogs is starting to grow on me he did cough one up out front last night no harm done though
DOC (Go Knights Go)
Agree totally “fan”.
THE hockey GOD
the walrus is BACK , good to have him back in net !!
Pistol Pete
Winning is important 4-1-1. A few more one or two goal games and his season stats will improve 2.72 GA .894 SV%.
Pistol Pete
Fleury this season 16-5 1.87 GA .933 SV%
Pistol Pete
Lehner tomorrow, Fleury Monday or visa versa? I’m thinking give Lehner the Blues and see how he does. He lost 1/26 vs. the Blues in the 5-4 SO loss.
Tim
The teams playing well if anything there a little to unselfish many times one pass to many. I think to answer Pistol Pete’s question I think Lehner will go Sunday and when were back home Monday I think Fleury deserves the hometown crowd. Then it’s off to Colorado and they’ll split those two games at least that’s the way I see it.
goalie trade
Disaster was averted. in the afternoon, it was feared that the VGK might have to go into last night’s game without Karlsson, Stephenson, Tuch, and with a rusty goalie.
fortunately, they were able to play all those guys, and
Lehner was fine, he was back in form, and the full roster gave the Knights the depth they use each game to overwhelm their 3 weaker opponents from Calif
Pistol Pete
Petro since becoming a Knight:
18 games 2 G/8 A/+8
Not that far off his pts/games vs. career (.56 vs .59), above average +/- vs. career.
Way to early to say he’s vastly underperforming imo. Doing a bit better on stats than Torey Krug since becoming a Blue.
Krug:
30 games 1 G/14 A/+9
Less than Petro in terms pts/game vs. career (.5 vs .64), above average +/- vs. career (like Petro).
In summary, so far this season on stats, Petro doing a bit better as a Knight than Krug is as a Blue, but both are doing OK. Both will ramp up imo.
In terms of stats there may be more than points and +/-, but these seerm like the most fundmamental markers of performance.
hdbiker7851
Don’t believe your Stats on Petro justify an investment of 8.8mill a year when you look at ROI which is what business is all about. No sure who cares what the Blues have in Krug – that is not the Knight’s problem. It is kind of amazing the the two guys they spent almost 14mill a year to attract are out or have been out the majority of the season. The way the youngsters are playing , and they will continue to improve, it seems at this point IMO they wasted the money and put themselves behind the eight ball cap wise. I hope they come back and prove their worth but performance thus far doesn’t look that great.
Pistol Pete
I assume you are aware of the Petro/Krug parallel, that is, Krug was lured away form Boston to replace Petro. In any case it’s ridiculously early imo to be calling a bad investment by either team. The proof is more likey to be supported in the post season. Personally I think the Knights procuring an NHL top five veteran D was a good move. Not only can the player, including that he has captain experience, help drive winning the Cup, mentorship for the younger D is in the picture as well.
hdbiker7851
Pistol Pete – You and I can continue this discussion and see where it leads down the road remember he will be 37 when his contract is up. Like I said I hope it pans out for Vegas and like also said Krug is the Blue’s problem. If I am not mistaken Krug is playing at the moment I can’t say the same for Petro who as I recall was put on LTIR. In any event almost 14 mill invested in two additions IMO was not a wise investment. I guess we will see I am sure you remember Lehner was no elite prize during the play offs last year. Fleury has proven them wrong on the way he was treated and wanted him gone. Interesting situation and in cap hell because the splash brothers are blinded by the light and under the misinformation you can buy the Cup..
Pistol Pete
We’ll see what tune folks will be singing come the playoffs.
goalie trade
THE PLAYOFFS are the determining factor in any deal. give me Petro and his Stanley Cup winning experience any day in THE PLAYOFFS over Hague, Coghlan, etc etc
they already finished first last season, and only got halfway to the cup, so they did not bring Petro here to get top seed. They brought him here to hopefully win a cup like he did in St Louis.
hdbiker7851
goalie trade – Petro was on the team that won the cup that’s as close as you can say. If I recall I think Ryan O’Reily was a major factor also.
Tim
I always look at the glass half full not half empty. Petro at 8.8 million was a big bite out of the cap but if we had known Whitecloud, Hague, and Coghlan would have progressed this fast we probably wouldn’t of made the trade. We did make the trade and the encouraging part is we’ll have a solid blue line for years to come. Petro being out doesn’t bother me with all the experience the young guys are getting. Teams rolling I hope they don’t break up the chemistry and trade someone to pick up what they feel is the final piece I know among the posters it’s 50/50 to trade or not to trade. I know Ken’s in the corner of trade everyone and anyone to win the almighty cup. Sorry Ken my motto is go with what got you there. Our prospect cupboard is filling up nicely so why rock the boat and set us back. Say it shakes out in the tournament we have to play Minnesota, Colorado, and Tampa, and in the cup finals Toronto, not an easy choir. Taking first in our division would help getting home arena advantage with our fans would be a plus but still a long shot.
hdbiker7851
Tim – IMO the deal last year concerning Lehner and Fleury rocked the boat in a very negative manner and had a great deal to do with how things panned out. It was very disruptive for the team as a whole and our buddy PDB certainly didn’t help the situation. I had to smile about Petro and his Stanley Cup winning experience – how many years was he with the Blues!!! Vegas had a team the very first year that went to the finals only to be beat by a team that waited 34 years to win. That said 8.8mill for a guy with his best years behind him is a ton of money to gamble.
Walt23
For all the amateur armchair accountants on here.
let’s take away all the high cap hit players…..Fleury, Pacioretty, Stone, Petro. plenty of cap space now, and a mediocre team that would have to scramble to beat out the Kings and Coyotes for a playoff spot. and would be cannon fodder for the Avs, Blues, and even Minn
now, let’s use that cap space with them gone. Oh, wait a minute, then we either have to acquire topnotch veteran players by trading high prospects and draft picks, see Stone, see Patch……or, we have to sign a topnotch UFA, see Petro
and, all of those vets acquired would be, guess what, high cap hit players. thus we are right back where we started, which is in first place, and having already done the right thing all along.
hdbiker7851
Based on your remarks you must be one of the amateur armchair accountants
you referenced. That or you never owned a business or where responsible for the bottom line – then again maybe you were born rich . You can always take situations to the extreme the other way which by the way proves nothing. Did Vegas have a ton of money tied up in a very few players year one??? – I doubt it. What they had was a bunch of rejected (not protected) players who had something to prove which I would think you have to accept as fact as they did very well. Just because you have a number of high paid players is no reason to pile another 14 mill on that total. That’s not going to bring the Cup to Vegas.
Pistol Pete
Avs complete the two game sweep of the Wild in Colorado 6-0. Next week is looking to be a test.