Recap: The Golden Knights hosted the LA Kings for a divisional battle between the two teams with the most points in the Pacific. LA scored the opening goal of the game late in the opening 20 minutes. Both teams had power play opportunities, but the Kings fought off Vegas’ man-advantage and held on to a 1-0 edge going into the 1st intermission.
Leading 1-0, the Kings offense continued to heat up in the middle period. LA picked up a shorthanded goal midway through the frame and extended their lead to 3-0 seven minutes later.
Vegas’ offense continued to slump in the 3rd period. The Golden Knights generated a handful of quality chances but couldn’t take advantage of any of them. LA added a fourth goal and an empty netter in the last twenty 20 to seal the game for the visiting team. VGK did get one late to continue the streak of not being shutout this season.
The Golden Knights’ record drops to 27-13-2 losing to the Kings 5-1. Vegas will have a few days off to rest and prepare for the Florida Panthers on Thursday night. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 PM. (Recap by Jason)
Analysis: VGK just did not play well at all in this game. It really materialized most in the neutral zone where the Golden Knights couldn’t seem to find any success on their entries and struggled to make life tough on the Kings. As that continued, Vegas started to lose puck battles and then the goaltending fell apart. Just an all around terrible game. (Analysis by Ken)
Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs. Los Angeles Kings at T-Mobile Arena.
- SinBin Podcast (Probably Monday)
Ken’s Three VGK Stars
*** Brayden McNabb
** Paul Cotter
* Jonathan Marchessault
Logan Thompson has been pulled for the first time this season. Adin Hill is in net to start the 3rd.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) January 8, 2023
Another NZ turnover and then VGK lose a puck battle trying to start the breakout. Simply put, VGK are getting whipped. 3-0 LAK
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) January 8, 2023
VGK have to simplify their game tonight. They are forcing everything through the NZ and then when they get through they are trying to make fancy plays around the outside. Not gonna work.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) January 8, 2023
hdbiker7851
A sad testimonial – sorry to say but this very well could be the case with the number of days off before they play next. Their passing was off among other things and the better team took them to the woodshed. If this is any indication of having the regulars back, they may want to consider getting the subs back. It was painful to watch and all in all a very poor effort on the part of the team. Hopefully a wake up call but not sure that will be the case. LA wanted to win more than Vegas it was just that simple.
TS
Chaos on ice, like a Chinese Firedrill. Hard to score when puck possession isn’t there. Too much time spent defending, and not enough effort at LA goal. Where was our net play? Followup shots? Players seemed off their game– asleep at the wheel, it appeared. One to bury an d move on…
FigureitoutVGK
100% Embarrassing.
pjturner
In short, LA capitalized on several flukey bounces and lucky breaks. Once the momentum shifted to the Kings side, the visitors capitalized on that and played even harder against VGK who by that time realized that “oh it’s gonna be one of those games” and basically gave up trying hard. I don’t blame them, their priority now seems to be keeping a healthy roster rather than winning. They still have a small cushion and figured they’d make the playoffs easily. No one really to blame for this loss. Everyone played average against a really good team and the result didn’t surprise anyone.
THE hockey GOD
VGK lost game when they rang the iron and puck didn’t go in. After that is was all but over. Eichel / Smith line at minus four says a lot there. LAK seem to have their number this year.
shake it off and move on to next game, days off to rest now.
Obvious
The “all star” goalie played like the minor leaguer is truly is…one and done playoff team at best
Emmanuel
All the early hot teams have cooled off except Boston, nothing to worry about. Also consider, just because a players been back for a few games doesnt mean theyre 100%.
Jailbird
Throw this game away. Get in some practice with new lines and start over next week. We are still in first.
Henderson's Finest
Need a total of at least 8 points on this 7-game home stand. They have 2 so far.
Danny
an absolutely disgraceful performance, a humiliating ( crowd chanting for their opponent) shameful no-effort surrender.
the Vgk allowed the Kings to turn the neutral zone into the La Brea tar pits.
That is 2 embarrassing losses in a row to the team chasing them for first, and the Vgk have now lost 7 of their last 8 games vs all Pacific div opponents. so this ain’t a one-off….THAT signifies plenty, because you cannot be successful in the playoffs unless you can beat your divisional opponents.
This team needs a couple of sparkplug type players to drag the rest of the softies into the fight.
there were 18,339 spectators at the game,…..actually 18,359 if you count the 20 Vgk mannequins who pretended to be hockey players last night.
Alex
100% correct here
B-Rad-Lee
As a STH, I noted that the arena was FULL. Most of the time, when it is announced that the game is a “sell out”, the arena has only 75% butts in the seats.
Canada
the -4 on Eichel line was not good i don’t think Cassidy can stay with that line , Also thought Cassidy should have not called them 1st line as they haven’t proven them selves together small thing but effects the rest of the team . Eichel and Marshy are both shooters so i cant see that working not enough back check on that line . With everyone back I’m sure Cassidy was scratching his head on lines but he needs to think through this a little better in my opinion not just throw it at the wall and see what happens . All in all a crappy day for vegas went to both football and hockey and they both made my all time wasted day list.
Jailbird
One bad game and here come the vultures. We have a first place team here, so shut up with that crap!
knights fan in minny
some people like to be assholes jailbird
Obvious
I just love Jack Eichel’s puckering bung
hdbiker7851
Jailbirds – vultures no – realists yes – they played like shit and didn’t deserve to win simple as that [- – being in first has nothing to do with how they performed last night that is what most are addressing here. Had the two off the post and cross bar gone in who knows it may have been a different result. They got behind and couldn’t get out of their own way, what happened to the crisp passing and net presence etc during PP nonexistent. Frankly I am concerned they don’t play again for a few days; history shows that doesn’t seem to fit well with them so Thursday’s game will prove interesting for the realists in the stands.
vgk21
I agree. the whole point of putting Roy on the Eichel line vs Pens was to help that line defensively, especially down low in the d zone, to free up Jack offensively, and it worked….so the change to put 81 on that line resulted in a quadruple minus, cuz Jack is no Karlsson defensive center, and should not be utilized that way…..Both Eichel and Cassidy laid out the reasons for Roy being effective on Jack’s line in the postgame interviews last game vs Pitt……
The Kings stifled the Vgk with a neutral zone trap, and other teams will now follow suit. while the Vgk are often passive and porous defensively in the neutral zone.
JV
Moving Stephenson back to LW1 might be the only solution. Gives them the 2 center configuration spoken of earlier. Which also means line 3 will be a fustercluck again since the Misfits will have to be reunited.
Canada
Concerned about tearing down what’s worked really well liked the Pittsburg line up . We may still not beat LA every night but we will be in the game ,
I would still test where Amadio or Cotter fits best, either L1 or L2
1. Cotter Eichel Roi
2. Amadio Stevenson Stone ( Amadiao has to play heavier and Stevenson needs to engage more)
3. Misfits
4, God help us line ,
From the Couch .
Tim
Mark Stone made a comment on Twitter that Thursday they were going to show up. A statement like that from our captain is disheartening. In other words we played like shit against LA but were going to turn the switch Thursday.