Anaheim’s Third Period Rally Taken From Vegas’ Playbook

(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)

On Sunday night the Stanley Cup-winning Vegas Golden Knights dropped their first regulation game of the season. Think about that again, it’s November 7th and the Golden Knights have secured 23 out of their opening 26 points of 2023-24.

Well, I give our players a lot of credit. It’s their fourth in six days. They’ve played their asses off. We give up three chances, and they all ended up in the net. That’s going to happen some nights. -Bruce Cassidy

3rd period scoring is one of the major reasons the Cup champions have the record they do in early November. A couple of days ago the surprising Anaheim Ducks gave Vegas a taste of their own medicine. The Golden Knights are among the top of the league in 3rd period scoring but after Sunday’s game, so are the Ducks.

NHL’s Top 3rd Period Scoring Teams

1. Detroit Red Wings: 20
2. Vegas Golden Knights: 19
3. Anaheim Ducks: 19
4. Minnesota Wild: 18
5. Carolina Hurricanes: 18
6. LA Kings: 17
7. Vancouver Canucks: 16

While the cluster of clubs are close in numbers, we have to figure in empty-net goals. Not taking anything away from Vegas but they’ve shot and scored into an empty net on four separate occasions. When all is said and done, an ENG usually results in two points. Anaheim and LA are slightly different in the sense that their goals tie or put them ahead with their final frame tallies.

We’re a veteran group, and we should be able to finish that game, but credit to them. They came hard and they got some bounces, and they were able to put a few in the net. -Brayden McNabb

Anaheim’s flurry of 3rd period scoring on Sunday got them back in the game, evened the score, and covered the reverse puckline for good measure. It was unlike any final frame Vegas has skated this season. It’ll also likely be one of the few poor 3rd periods we will see in the future.

The Golden Knights’ ability to create goals when it matters isn’t fading because of an overdue loss to start the season. Dating back to the 2023 playoffs, crucial and late-game goals secured key wins for Vegas and eliminated four competitive opponents. It’s certainly carried over to this season. Sunday night was tough, but from the looks of it, it’s an aberration, not the start of a trend.