Recap: The Golden Knights were hoping to finish off 2025 with a victory at home against the Nashville Predators. Vegas got off to a great start, scoring twice in the opening ten minutes of the game. First captain Mark Stone gave his club the first lead of the game with a power play score. Later Ben Hutton doubled Vegas’ advantage, scoring his sixth goal of the season. A couple of shifts later the Predators cut Vegas’ lead in half and took the lead with three straight goals. After the opening period the Golden Knights trailed 3-2.
Midway through the middle frame Nashville scored on the power play to take a two goal advantage into the second intermission.
Vegas had some extended zone time in the final period but couldn’t find the back of Nashville’s net. The Golden Knights went scoreless for another period and dropped their last match of 2025.
The Golden Knights record drops to 17-10-11 falling to the Predators 4-2 at T-Mobile Arena. Next up, Vegas will travel to St. Louis to face the Blues on Friday afternoon. Puck drop is scheduled for 12 PM. (Recap by Jason)
Analysis: VGK got going early in this one and took advantage of the game being a bit of a mess. Then, a seemingly harmless shot found its way in from the high slot, and Vegas kind of fell apart. Again, they gave up four consecutive goals and turned a two-goal deficit into a 2-goal hole. Special teams had a bit of an off day and they’ve now lost six of the last seven games. (Analysis by Ken)
Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs. Nashville Predators at T-Mobile Arena.
- January vs December
Ken’s Three VGK Stars
*** Ben Hutton
** Pavel Dorofeyev
* Mark Stone
ID10T w/ a Ba1100n
“Long Summer Knights”
Oh the season’s done, the ice is meltin’ away,
The Knights packed up their gear, guess they’re callin’ it a day.
No more slapshots flyin’, no more crowds in the stands,
Just sunscreen, tee times, and wide‑brimmed hats in their plans.
They’ll be swingin’ on the fairway,
Not a forecheck in sight,
Workin’ on their tan lines
In that Vegas sunlight.
Yeah, it’s birdies, bogeys, sunshine —
And maybe families in the makin’,
’Cause the Knights got a long, long summer
Full of golfin’ and baby‑creatin’.
Coach said “Rest up, boys, you’ve earned the break,”
So they’re tradin’ hockey sticks for a nice 9‑iron shake.
No penalty minutes, no overtime fights,
Just love, leisure, and laughter for those Vegas Golden Knights.
They’ll be swingin’ on the fairway,
Not a forecheck in sight,
Workin’ on their tan lines
In that Vegas sunlight.
Yeah, it’s birdies, bogeys, sunshine —
And maybe families in the makin’,
’Cause the Knights got a long, long summer
Full of golfin’ and baby‑creatin’.
ID10T w/ a Ba1100n
Now here comes Pistol Pete with that Marner praise,
Sayin’ “Mitchy’s still elite, he’ll shine one of these days.”
But the Cup keeps wanderin’, never stops to say hi,
Another year, another summer, and it still passes Mitchy by.
TS
Smart wordplay, gotta say!!
Emmanuel
Norman Mailer with a touch of James Joyce……
Jose
Bad game! When do we get to play San Jose again? LOL
Happy New Years everyone!!
Larry
You mean the Sharks team up on the Wild 3-1 in the 3rd period that very possibly will be a mere 2 points behind us in the standings?
Emmanuel
Expansion team + Celebrini = Sharks
Larry
Very creative and sadly possibly true!
23
3 wins in 14 games at home recently.
1 win and 6 losses without Jack.
doom and gloom in Vgk land right now, and pretending otherwise is fantasyland.
Vic
What a way to end the year. No excuses. The glass half full guys will soon chime in with kudos for VGK guys with a goal or an assist in this piece of crap of a game. The only important stat from today…..lost two points. Need to break the malaise in 2026 or as the balloon man above says….a golfing we will go.
Jake
Leaking oil.
Three cylinders are blown.
Limping along to the abyss.
TS
Jake, but we still have 5 good cylinders, right??
What do you mean, it’s a 4- cylinder?? Lol
Jake
Five good cylinders will keep you just outside the playoffs, with a middling draft pick, the kiss of death in the NHL.
Larry
I can’t wait to read all the lipstick on a pig comments/excuses, actually i hope i can wait, for honest and sincere observations on our struggling Golden Knights.
ID10T w/ a Ba1100n
They keep trying to pass the puck to the back of the net. Horrible puck management in the neutral and O zone. The team needs to get greasy and have a good sustained forecheck, not been happening. Every aspect of their game has been inconsistent. I am afraid it’s gonna be worse after the Olympics, for this season it was important to play lights out hockey up front, because after the “break” where we have a good chance to lose 1-2 players to injury, it’s gonna be all uphill. Lower OT points aren’t gonna cut it.
TS
Nashville was very good protecting their net, totally blocking any way in. And we had no answer to it, never got close enough to get greasy!
TS
If we lose McNabb, we lose the best of the D Core. 298 VGK.games, and THIS happens? WTF!!! Sorry, I meant CURSES!!!!..
Nope, i meant WTF!!!
.
knights fan in minny
What a mess Time to make a trade You need to get the attention of that locker room
Emmanuel
Not there YET….raincheck me on MLK day.
Jose
Eichel, Theodore, Karlsson are all still out. That’s not lipstick on a pig or excuse but fact.
Also, a fact is that even with those players out, they should have won this game. Nashville had their terrible backup goalie playing, and this is a team they should beat at home.
Saad, Smith, Kolesar, basically bottom 6 is just not giving the team anything at all in regards to scoring. Fourth line did have some nice possession shifts.
As I said in a prior post, I don’t think they are at the top tier level of a true contender yet. They really miss Eichel and Karlsson.
Larry
FACT… look around the league and you will see injuries to key players on various teams, just got to deal with it and keep persevering.
Hellebucyk was out for a period of time…Vasilevskiy was out for a period of time…..
B. Tkachuk was out for a period of time….
Point was out for a period of time…..
Matthew’s has been and will be out for a period of time….
M. Tkachuk and Barkov have been out the whole season
And I’m sure there are many others who play significant roles for their teams have been out, after a while poor play is just simply an excuse and something tangible needs to be done to stop the bleeding and right the ship.
Emmanuel
Mitch C the top line wasnt on my 2025 bingo card so yes I do think injuries are a big factor, that being said the lunchpail types have failed to step up so I think its a double whammy problem, injuries & depth.
Harley hdbiker7851
Impressive – six losses in seven games!!! Pretty sad and I am concerned they don’t seem to have an answer to their problems. Better go on the road that seems to suit them better for whatever reason who knows. Onward and upward.
Jose
Eichel, Marner, Stone, Hertl, Dorofeyev, Karlsson, Theodore, Hanifin, McNabb
These are all excellent hockey players. It looks bad right now, but they still have so much talent and I don’t think this is the end of an era.
However, if it is the end of an era (I don’t think it is), then what an incredible ride it has been.
Emmanuel
To me the era ended last trade deadline. The “we will do ANYTHING to win” mentality went out the window & we got a Reilly near the end of his career instead to mollify the fans (the decline was statistically obvious in NY considering his PP & top line role). Its been downhill since.
Vic
VGK homework for the New Year…watch the replay of the Sharks shootout win versus the Wild today for a sweep of the season series. The Shark’s young talent is rapidly rising and there is heart and passion in most games by hungry players. It helps that Macklin is shaping up to be Crosby 2 and dragging some of his young buddies with him. Sad to say the VGK are obviously past their prime, and there are no Tom Wilsons or Maxx Crosbys on the horizon to inject life into a declining team. Our team has turned boring to watch, and that’s not a good thing. Still rooting hard, but it’s tough to watch.
Emmanuel
Without question Celebrini is WAY better both ways than Bedard.
The rest of the Sharks roster is very iffy, too young (but promising) or too old but thats a legit rebuild they got.
Amtrak stops right next to the Sharks Arena & there are hotels near walking distance, im thinking of taking the Coast Starlight.
23
Howden, Smith, and Bowman all minus-5 in the past 2 games.
FG
They were paper tigers last year riding a hot start, PP and bumslaying, and were unsurprisingly exposed in the playoffs. Now they have taken a step back with Pietrangelo and Hague, below average goalie play with Hill out, underperforming bottom six, combined with injuries make this team a shell of its former self.
JB
Very disappointing effort. It’s obvious we don’t have much talent in most of out bottom six. No tuffnest from the D boys. Yea missing Jack, Wild bill hurt, but, shit I don’t know. It’s going to take a big turn around just to make the playoffs as I see it. Not giving up but very concerned!
vgk21
Vgk spends most of their time clogged up in their own zone. except when the other team takes their foot off the gas in the 3rd with a comfortable lead over the Knights.
the team needs more dmen who can skate and move the puck, more forwards who can forecheck and pin the other team in their zone, and snipers who can cash in passes from pass first stars like Marner, Eichel, and Stone.
and they need more sparkplug type players who can aggressively inspire the team and drag them into the fight from the opening faceoff.
the bottom half of the Vgk roster is vastly overrated by the front office, and those chickens are really coming home to roost right now.
Larry
VGK21, I’m glad I’m not the only one who can (unfortunately) see what there is to be seen out on the ice thus far this season.
I’ve said it before the team lacks speed on the wings as well as creativity, I watch other teams move the puck around in the offensive zone as they seem to know where their teammates are at all times, and this puts tremendous pressure defensively on VGK. On our side of the ledger it is true our bread and butter forechecking ability has all but disappeared, certainly injuries have played a part, but the other concerning aspect is Cassidy constantly flipping lines as to create a spark, while what it does is not put a guy in a spot familiar to him and turnovers ensue.
Essentially after what you posted, it would seem a tear down is needed to have the kind of team you/me would wish for, basically a replica of Florida cause they sure have all those ingredients.
On a positive note, I thought Hertl played a strong game today, holding on to the puck and doing whatever he could to create any type of opportunity.
Emmanuel
Whats wrong with flipping lines? Everyone has to do it theres no way around it.
TS
Vgk, Sounds like we should replace the entire team and start over!!
TS
Coach mentioned that our own players defend so close to net that it could be blocking our Goalie’s view. That this will need to be adjusted. Looking at the replays of goals against us, it does look that way
.Post- game show agreed
.Gotta fix this ASAP.
TS
Coach looked totally defeated post- game
.The season is getting away from us, and we’re in a troubling place
.Nabber no doubt out, just hope for minor injury. Cassidy clearly looks concerned.
.
DeezNutz
This team simply lacks goal scoring talent. They look like fumbling idiots out there trying to put the puck in the net.
Walt
Happy new year, or Crappy new year?
it is up to the players, coach, and GM to decide, but
if they want to stay in Vegas they better start winning home games.
Emmanuel
Buddy, its gonna be rainbows & unicorns starting @ midnight!
Pistol Pete
If we can get our butts wiped by the Preds at home then apparently so too can the Oilers by the Bruins by a worse margin lol. Ducks lose too albeit in OT so they manage to get even with us (we still have two games in hand). Still one measly point back of the also floundering Oilers with three games in hand. Here’s to another good road trip with Jack to help right the ship. Onward and upward for our injury disadvantaged team!
Those Sharks my goodness the same Sharks we positively plastered beat no less than the Wild and nearly in reg nonetheless. They pull two points ahead of the Kings my goodness gracious me!
Did I say we are the same team who came within a gnat’s ass of taking two points from the mighty Avs? Yes in fact I do believe I neglected to remind us of that incontrovertible fact and did so without three of our best skaters and no starting goaltender. Heads held high onward and upward we go!
Pistol Pete
Over bemoaning losses we fans can do nothing about is one thing not taking into account the standings is yet another. Can’t hardly believe I was the first above to mention the Oilers 6-2 drubbing at home and their failure like ours to grab another two points in the standings. Heads held high sisters and brothers onward and upward!
Pistol Pete
What D from Henderson if Nabber is out is what I am wondering. Never mind I won’t bother. Ok maybe I will who of the lot of them has the most of youth, weight, height, skating ability and a nose for offense going for him?
Pistol Pete
Or maybe just maybe the 2 NHL games one assist (+1) Luka’s Cormier will get his chance. No smaller than Quinn Hughes!
On another note I find Eichel’s status concerning. No red no contact jersey but does not play today and traveling but not definite. What is going on?
Richie-Rich
If Jack’s had a bout of the bronchitis or flu it could be a lingering thing, several weeks. Lucas Cormier is the guy I want to see at D, especially with Theodore sidelined. Cormier is a very good at puck management and a good passing D. What I think we really need to see is some fresh legs from Henderson in the bottom 6. I have seen enough of Saad and Sissons.
larry
Pete, we cant have someone with youth, weight. height, skating ability and a nose for offense find his way on to the team and possibly inject some life into our moribund 5×5 offense, have you lost your senses man???
But bottom line to any bottom line, Happy New Year to you, and to all the posters and fans of our VGK who only want whats best for the team, in our own very unique ways lol!!!
Pistol Pete
After a slow start Preds are now 12-5-0 since Nov. 26 trailing only COL, DAL, and MIN that stretch.
NAM
I remember after we missed the playoffs last time, after they fired fuck face peter, the owner promised a more transparent team and no bs. Well here we are. Karlsson is gonna be out how long? Eichel has an illness… oh wait, now he is out for something else, how long is he out? Blah blah…zzzzzz.
TS
Nam, i think all teams are vague, never revealing the real issues with players and injuries, don’t they?? They don’t want other teams to know the real problems with hurt players. ” Never show your hand” is the way in Hockey.
Emmanuel
F*ck face Peter…….LOL
Ice Warrior
I was at the game. All I can say is we are a very mediocre team without Eichel, Shea, Wild Bill, and to a lesser extent, Hill. Can’t wait until they’re back!
Pistol Pete
We sure did not look a very mediocre team against the Avs without Eichel, Shea, Wild Bill and to a lesser extent Hill and the Avs are much better team than the Preds.
Richie-Rich
I am not overly discouraged, but on the other hand the deal so far has over promised and under delivered. My major concerns about the bottom 6, especially the retention of Saad and the acquisition of Lauzon and Sissons are turning out the way I thought they would. There’s too much pressure on the top 6 and the defense is questionable. They are giving up too much time and space, not cutting off seam passes, and not aggressive enough. Teams are running them into the ground in the D zone.
Henderson One
Very disappointed that VGK did not exhibit good sportsmanship by acknowledging Steven Stamkos 600 goal. According to the RJ he is one of 3 active players to achieve this number.