Recap: The Golden Knights traveled east for a five-game road trip beginning in Washington. The opening period was disrupted by multiple penalties by Vegas. Washington opened the scoring late in the period to carry a 1-0 advantage into the first intermission.
Vegas went down a man in the middle frame after Paul Cotter was ejected for a check to the head misconduct. Vegas successfully killed off Cotter’s five-minute major but their offense couldn’t get going. After 40 minutes the Capitals held on to a 1-0 lead.
The reigning Stanley Cup champions continued to miss opportunities in the final frame and failed to come up with the tying goal. The Capitals tacked on two insurance goals in the final minute to seal the game.
The Golden Knights record drops to 12-3-1 losing 3-0 to the Capitals. Vegas will next face the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday. Puck drop against the Canadiens is set for 4 PM. (Recap by Jason)
Analysis: The Golden Knights had every sort of chance you can possibly create in a hockey game. They just couldn’t execute any of them to beat Charlie Lindgren. For all the games where VGK felt they didn’t play their best and won, this is one where they played pretty darn well and lost. (Analysis by Ken)
Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs. Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena.
- Interesting story about Michael Amadio shared on VGK radio broadcast
Ken’s Three VGK Stars
*** Jack Eichel
** William Karlsson
* Mark Stone
Pistol Pete
Injuries. This trip will be a challenge without Stephenson and Roy. Throw in Hague for good measure. Somebody on X suggested move Marchy down with Karlsson to get him going and move Pav up. Maybe.
Richie-Rich
Forgot about Roy! Yep, Stephenson and Hague as well. Hutton’s not delivering, time for Pachal or Korczak.
Yeah, the top line hasn’t been clicking this year as expected. I would like to see Dora tried out on the top line.
I saw Cotter lift his shoulder but it appeared that he was looking for shoulder to shoulder contact. Regardless, he’s going to get at least 1 game for sure.
Emmanuel
They are too thin at F to roll 4 lines. Top load the top 3 lines.
Richie-Rich
Just looking over the stat sheet, I’d say we are missing Stephenson and Hague. But clearly Hutton’s not bringing much to the table. Time to give more ice time to Pachal.
This is one of those games where the VGK completely dominated in just about every aspect of hockey except the final result.
Book it and move on to Montreal.
Ken Boehlke
Every aspect might be a stretch.
Finishing was obviously poor. Power play did very little. Took far too many penalties. Not sure there was enough traffic in front either.
Richie-Rich
Not burying a single breakaway was significant. They had 4.
TS
Rr, the Caps found a pretty formidable goalie! He stopped EVERYTHING!
Richie-Rich
The VGK have lost 3 of their last 4 tilts.
Just saying.
Alex
Fire Cassidy
Knightfan in philly
What is their record with Petro vs without him? And over the years seems they lose more when he is in the lineup than out.
Jailbird
We had plenty of real good scoring chances that would have changed the game. Just not finding the back of the net right now. Will be a big difference when we get our centers and Hager back. So relax with all the changes. We will be fine!
Pistol Pete
Have not seen the game but sounds like we could have won it with better finishing. That can happen with a full healthy roster too.
Pistol Pete
Probably way to early to go there but how Marchy does this season is probably the biggest issue come the trade deadline. He’ll turn 34 December next season. Him plus Martinez = $10.25m plus the salary cap is projected to increase by $3.5-4.5m. That’s enough to sign Stephenson, Carrier and somebody big. Hopefully Korczak or Pachal will be a suitable replacement for Martinez.
Pistol Pete
Forgot about Pav. He’ll need to be signed as well probably.
Jailbird
Pete, they will not trade Marchy. He means more to the team than perhaps you realize.
Pistol Pete
Jailbird I know he means a lot to the team he does to me too but so did Reilly Smith who was only a bit less impactful if at all given his defensive play. Business is business. If Marchy goes flat in the average across the season McCrimmon will have a very tough decision to make. Marchy could well stay Marchy in which case McCrimmon may bank on another great playoff run for him. I suppose he could also extend him for $4m and not Stephenson, that way he’d still have room for another $9.5m guy. It’s too early for this kind of speculation but it is fun to consider just because McCrimmon has demonstrated how good he is at acquiring key players. He has to do it time and time again or
do a major rebuild.
Pistol Pete
I would imagine William Nylander would love to come to Vegas and win a Cup! Long term for a bit under his top ask? As I said really too early in the season to consider such a scenario!
Pistol Pete
Probably wants $10m. Able imo to play 200 ft. a Bruce Cassidy/VGK requirement.
https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/player/william-nylander-8477939
Tim
Watching the Knights is like watching grass grow. last two games L.A. and now Washington one goal in 120 minutes of hockey.Yes we have injuries where’s the next man up mentality? You wonder why hockey although have rabid fans but has a small fan base. No one wants to watch any sport where you don’t have some scoring. But either you deal with it or don’t watch.
TS
Tim, nothing like a no- hitter in baseball, huh? Same as a shutout, and it IS a snoozer. I didn’t make it through the 3rd– I nodded off!!
larry
thought VGK played a good overall game tonight…so many of the camera angles looked like we had scored but sadly could not finish….penalty kill was fabulous…being down a forward the last 2 periods didnt help either…as someone who has been a Cotter guy…he was the cause of the extended PP and lack of the extra player…not to mention the terrible tripping penalty…having him out there along with rondberg and kolesar makes it incumbent on the other lines to score even more… Stephenson and especially Roy have shown how important they are to the dynamic…the 4th line when intact is an actual game changer…just not the same when Howden is there…oh and by the way…that 6 on 5 goaltender out of the net bordered on abject pitiful!
Pistol Pete
They did play well enough to win even without two of their starting centers and one D. Defended very well just did not finish on the breakaways and certain other looks. The PK was outstanding. In the post game Cassidy seemed the most disappointed with the two PP’s especially given how good the PK was. Should be momentum from the PK carried over to the PP especially from the top killers like Eichel, Karlsson and Stone.
knights fan in minny
CHARLIE
Danny Gallivan
the Vgk played well enough to win, but their decision making was awful.
they had several breakaways and shot the puck low to middling on the glove side every time. no one put the puck into the upper corner or tried the stick side.
the penalties were dumb and needless.
and Whitecloud make 2 bad plays that handed goals 1 and 3 to the Caps.
and the absence of Roy and Stephenson is beginning to take effect.
Kolesar needs to go bye bye. He has ZERO goals and ONE assist in 16 games with lots of ice time. and he can’t even win a fight. and he is no power forward, as he turns back when carrying the puck, instead of driving hard to the net.
THE hockey GOD
sorry but the puck was bouncing on whitecloud, I wouldn’t put that on him
THE hockey GOD
I blame biden, he is cursed and screws up everything he touches. Obama “never under estimate the propensity of Joe Biden to F things up”. Vgk were obviously rusty, and made very poor shot selections on breakaways, I could have stopped those with a cane instead of a goalie stick. The caps are obviously divers, their two Russian players proved that. Best thing out of these game was that Ivan , or is it Boris (the guy who claims he’s 38, but more like 42) didn’t score a goal. The Great One will not be passed by a dirty Russian ! Pawn of Putin the commie punk.
Frank
Ehhhhh…. they lost a game that they probably could have won. Numerous opportunites, just didn’t put the puck in the net or get the right bounces…. happens to the best of teams. Not worried in the slightest about this one.
THE hockey GOD
then there was the bad ice issue, that no one wants to talk about
HELLO
wake up people !
And what is up with the whistling from fans in the stands ?
Vic
Good sport Mcilrath…..Clean check, clocked Kolesar, and then in the box asked Kolesar if he was ok. Read his lips.
knights fan in minny
kolly got rocked
knights fan in minny
mcilrath is a big boy
Larry
Seemed like an actual pleasant back and forth!
Larry
nah.. I suspect Lindgren will regress to form in his next start!
hdbiker7851
They tried too hard to get the perfect shot and when they did shoot no activity around the goal to bang in the rebound. The better team didn’t win – but what was frustrating to watch was Vegas at more times than they should have just waltzing around like they had the lead. No sense of urgency until it was to late. Onward and upward – get a handle on things and play the way they are capable of.
Pistol Pete
Me thinks if Cotter gets a suspension Grigori Denisenko (2018-#15) could get the call-up (would have to fly him ASAP to Montreal). Got a goal and assist vs. the Firebirds last night bringing his 13 game roster-leading points total to 15 (7 G/8 A). Brisson got a goal and two assists last night bringing his 13 game points total to 11 (5 G/6 A).
https://theahl.com/stats/player/8479/81/grigori-denisenko
Larry
Despite being a self-professed Cotter guy… I believe he is due for a suspension from his coach until he can get his head focused on the primary tasks involved from shift to shift!