Pandemic Playoffs: Knights Take Series Lead With 3-0 Win Over Vancouver Saturday; Lead Series 2-1 With Second Shutout
By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
There was Pause 1.0 because of a novel coronavirus pandemic back in mid-March.
Then there was Pause 2.0 Thursday because of NHL players boycotting games to protest racial inequality problems in the U.S.
And on Saturday, the Golden Knights returned to the Pandemic Playoffs, playing a clinically sound game in defeating the Vancouver Canucks, 3-0, to take a 2-1 lead in the Best-of-7 second round series.
Postseason star Alex Tuch scored his seventh goal of the playoffs, while emerging defensive star Zach Whitecloud followed Tuch’s early-game tally to give the Knights a 2-0 lead after the first stanza.
VGK goalie Robin Lehner played rock-solid in period one with 16 saves and stonewalled the Canucks in period two as the VGK retained its 2-0 lead after two periods. Lehner finished the shutout by blanking Vancouver in period three. He stopped all 32 shots on goal.
Lehner said the last two days were an emotional time. “Everyone deserves the same chances in society,” he said after the game to the media.
It was the first game back for the Golden Knights after NHL players shut down the playoffs for two days, Thursday and Friday, after the NBA players refused to play Wednesday after a Black man was shot by a white police officer seven times in Kenosha, Wisconsin Sunday. Players in Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer also refused to play games this past week.
Whitecloud was also receiving penalty-killing playing time, teamed with Brayden McNabb to help kill a penalty before VGK forward Mark Stone registered a power-play goal with a wicked top-shelf wrister to give the Knights a 3-0 lead at the 2:19 marker of period three. Stone notched his sixth goal of the postseason.
Before the game, LVSportsBiz.com chatted with “VGK Frank” Harnish about the player-created game shutdown and Game 3.
Also, Golden Knights owner Bill Foley responded to the local Las Vegas police union president about his concerns about the team’s statement and two-day protest against racial injustices. The union president, Steve Grammas, issued this letter:
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