Recap: The Golden Knights hosted the Buffalo Sabres to wrap up their two-game season series. Vegas outshot Buffalo 10-6 but neither team could find the back of the net. After the opening 20 minutes, the game was locked in a scoreless tie.
Buffalo opened the scoring 1:53 into the opening period and added a second goal five minutes later. The Sabres would later tack on another to take a 3-0 lead into the 2nd intermission.
Chandler Stephenson scored his 8th of the season in the final period to get Vegas within two. Jonathan Marchessault had a chance to make it closer but failed to convert on a penalty shot. Reilly Smith scored late on a 6-on-5 to make it a one-goal game with two minutes remaining, but the Golden Knights couldn’t force overtime.
The Golden Knights’ record drops to 22-11-1 losing to the Sabres 3-2. Vegas will stay home and prepare for the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday. Puck drop against the Coyotes is scheduled for 7 PM. (Recap by Jason)
Analysis: It’s a lot of the same for the Golden Knights at home. The first issue has existed for a while and continues now. They just don’t finish at a high enough clip. The chances were there all night, from breakaways to power plays to extended time in the 3rd period, and they couldn’t beat Luukkonen enough. The second issue is in their breakouts. Too often they turn it over and then can’t recover in time to put out the fire created. Finally, and this is one I don’t agree with Cassidy as much, is goaltending. The better goalie has been in the other net most nights recently at home. I’m not sure it’s completely VGK’s goalies’ fault, Cassidy seems to think at least a part of it is. (Analysis by Ken)
Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs. Buffalo Sabres at T-Mobile Arena.
- Goalie Interference (Tuesday)
- Gearing up for a tough January
Ken’s Three VGK Stars
*** Michael Amadio
** Reilly Smith
* Chandler Stephenson
VGK had 5 forwards with more then 20 minutes of ice time.
Karlsson 20:56
Stephenson 21:28
Smith 22:38
Stone 22:41
Marchessault 22:483 forwards were less than 9 minutes.
Leschyshyn 6:29
Kessel 8:25
Rondbjerg 8:34Pietrangelo led the D with 28:44. Lowest was Hutton at 13:04.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) December 20, 2022
Cassidy said it was more about Kessel not getting it done on the top line than it was Amadio earning the right to go up. Called him "Plan E" behind Eichel Howden Cotter and Kessel as they search for answers.
He added Kessel hasn't given as much of a 200 foot game as the others.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) December 20, 2022
Absolutely no confidence shooting the puck. It's definitely become mental.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) December 20, 2022
Walt
Was that Dominik Hasek in goal? Betting on the other team for VGK home games is easy money, and usually at pretty good odds. Didn’t even need advice from Arnold Rothstein.
Arnold Rothstein
@ Walt
that was a lock aka “no brainer”
lol
Tim
Oh Jailbird ( Where Out Thou ) not the out come you predicted but as I tried to tell you No Killer Instinct. The good news is Arizona is coming to town being one of the worse teams I think our chances are pretty good I hope. Then it’s St. Louis and you can chalk that up in the loss column we can’t beat there goaltender.
JV
I kind of agree w/ Cassidy regarding the goaltending. There have been bad goals given up by both. Hill is regressing toward the norm and Thompson is fighting the puck. With Brossiot playing really well in HSK it’s more when than if he gets called up.
Kessel has never played a 200 ft. game Mr. Cassidy. The third line is a tire fire.
I know both teams skate on it, but seems the ice is slow at T-Mobile and the puck bounces a lot. They look like they are stuck in quicksand at times.
TS
JV, say WHAT? BAD ICE? There’s NO BAD ICE in Hockey!!! LOL..
running joke on this site…
Jailbird
Plenty of chances to win the game. Just couldn’t convert breakaways and penalty shot even. Ned to offense Jack and Theo bring. Goaltending coming back to earth… but still in first until we get this figured out again. Still a solid playoff team, but cup contender?
THE hockey God
The bad ice is directly associated with the manner in which the VGK skating is done – it creates instant bad ice under all our players . This is why the bad ice only affects VGK and not the opponent. This has been verified by the Hockey News and is mentioned all the time by Canadian broadcast teams .
TS
Thg, SAY WHAT? Is that a Canadien Joke, taking a jab at the VGK??
THE hockey GOD
@ TS that was fake hockey
God, know the icons !
TS
Thg, good grief. I only see icons if my narrow phone is sideways! Sorry…cannot keep up with the goofballs!
Alex
LOL – good morning, TS!
TS
Alex, silly man. Got me!
Alex
LOL! You’re a good sport, TS
knights fan in minny
you are being human that must hurt
THE hockey GOD
let’s see 18 sog for buffalo ? three goals? Hill’s save % for game at 0.833, and trending downward; probably needs a refresher in Henderson. If that was LT in net the haters on this forum would be out in full force in all their regala.
No finishers in this game, that penalty shot by 81 was pretty lame. Normally he lets it fly, he was slower than molasses running down a witch’s teat at midnight , on the strip, on New Year’s Eve with wind chill below freezing.
Still a number of players looking like dead wood, if coach had someone in AHL to bring up these players would be gone.
TS
Thg,our goalie received some individual coaching before practice yesterday a.m….don’t think it helped…
Blitz
Cassidy in sep/oct – It’s important that everyone gets close to equal ice time. Helps preserve the team for the long season grind, keeps everyone involved.
Cassidy in dec – Fuck it, we are rolling with 5 guys for 2/3 a game. Fuck the future, I have pride to keep intact.
THE hockey GOD
@blitz , expect some big roster moves if VGK flame out in next two home games.
Blitz
I don’t disagree, but who is your trade? Maybe not who you bring in, but who do you send away to improve what position?
I don’t think there is enough value in Kessel to get something. Maybe you move him just to free a spot and try to keep his record in tact some where. His 1.5 mil contract is still good if he is on the right team, but your’e not getting value for it alone.
I think 15, 17, 22, 33, 46, 55, are all low value on the trade market. You bundle multiple up maybe you can get 2x the value of one, meaning maybe a Roy *if* you are lucky.
Howden, Whitecloud, Lenher are un-tradable because of injury (and one is nut job).
Hague, Cotter, Roy, Carrier to me are the start of what you have to move. Maybe one of these and a draft pick to get a middle player. Meh…
I think the misfit are unmovable at the moment. They have been the anchor and it has been proven thru two coaches, they are inseparable.
Can’t move 7, 9, or 61 even if you want to.
Martinez is over paid by a lot. You are paying someone to take him.
So stephenson, theo (injury may be an issue trading asap), and mcnabb are your bigger value guys to move if you want some value back.
Breaking it down it doesn’t look good to me. Best bet is to move a couple of low end guys to get a low end guy that fits better. Maybe move Miro/Korzak (ie your future stock) to get a mid grade guy that fits better. Anyway, I don’t see the magic formula here. Until these locked-in big contracts are up, this is the team plus or minus low end guys.
knights fan in minny
could that be hovart
Tim
Some thoughts about the playoffs. Assuming we get in whoever we play the first series we’ll have a problem. The opponent would have to have a decent record and probably a fairly good home record unlike Vegas who has no home advantage. Goaltending is an issue, home ice is an issue, no killer instinct is an issue, we just don’t score Roy 10 games, Karlsson 15 games please don’t count his open net the other night, how many games did Stephenson go without scoring? Petro, Martinez when’s the last time they scored? Right now Stone, Marshy, Smith and Eichel when healthy are our firepower and to a lesser extent Carrier, Miromanov, and Cotter seem to have a nose for the goal. Hutton, Amadio, Kolesar, Leschyshyn, Howden, Hague, McNabb, have no chance of scoring. How can you win with so little firepower?
Frank
Plenty of opportunites…. need to put the puck in the back of the net more often. Goaltending has been sub par lately. They’ll get it sorted out – and did deserve better the last two games.
phantom major
the Vegas DEMKO Knights… they can make any pedestrian goaltender look like a world beater…. shades of VAN, Dallas, and MTL
Luukonen has a 3.56 gaa and .888 save %, so other teams obviously have had no problem putting the puck behind him.
81 with a pathetic penalty shot attempt….Karlsson misses 2 open chances in the first period that could have put the Knights ahead and changed the game…7 is an expert at shooting a wide slapper and hitting the back boards with his shot from the point… a la Boom Boom Geoffrion
Kessel is washed up, can’t even play well with the top line, and he is terrible in his own d zone. He leads the team by far in minus, with -11……get this, at even strength, Kessel is 28 goals worse than Eichel, who is PLUS 17.
and they have some forwards who should be playing at the Dollar Loan Center, and if this home losing keeps up the whole team will be moved to the DLC to accommodate the small crowds like the Mullett in Arizona.
Knights fan in minnie
This is such a hurtful post! So mean spirited! I love my LVGK! Stop being so mean!
knights fan in minny
fuck off fake poster alex you piece of shit