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By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
Well, Friday was just another day in the life of the Vegas Golden Knights.
-Goaltender Robin Lehner made his first start since suffering a concussion Feb. 7 against the Kings in downtown Los Angeles tonight. Lehner explained a few days ago he didn’t appreciate the rumors about his mental health issues during his absence. ( ” . . . the only reason why I’m telling you guys I had a concussion right now, is the nature of society. I said this many times before, without going on a rant, the stigma around mental health is insane. Everyone deals with it; I don’t care what anyone says. Everyone deals with it at some form or another during their life.”)
-While the Knights prepared to take on the LA Kings, VGK forward William Karlsson received a false positive test result for COVID-19 and made the NHL COVID protocols list before was removed and played in Friday’s VGK/LA game. Tonight is VGK Game 28 — the halfway mark of this season’s 56-game pandemic season. After 27 games, the Knights are 20-6-1.
-The four-year-old NHL franchise is also applying to bump up the fan attendance capacity for home games at T-Mobile Arena in April from the 20 percent capacity currently in place for the final three home games in March.
-The Knights’ minor league team, the Henderson Silver Knights, is getting ready to have fans at home games at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas for the first time on Saturday. Henderson Silver Knights season ticket holders received these instructions in an email to prepare for Saturday’s Silver Knights game at 1 PM.
Figure a little more than 1,000 fans at Orleans Arena Saturday afternoon for the Silver Knights vs. Barracuda game. The VGK affiliate in the American Hockey League is off to a flying start at 11-2. LVSportsBiz.com will be at Orleans Arena to see the first fans in the building to see a Silver Knights game tomorrow.
Fans told LVSportsBiz.com that tickets for the Silver Knights game Saturday cost about $25-$60 each — a fraction of the VGK ticket costs at T-Mobile Arena.
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The VGK broke out to a 2-0 lead after one period tonight in Los Angeles. It was Max Pacioretty scoring both goals. Pacioretty notched his first goal off a gorgeous feed from assist-maker Mark Stone.
On his second goal, Pacioretty flipped a backhander on net. LA goalie Jonathan Quick snapped the puck out of mid-air, but his glove was in the net and the refs ruled the puck was in the net, too, for the goal. Pacioretty now has 16 goals on the season.
The Kings got on the scoreboard with only 18 seconds left in the first period with a goal by Alex Iafallo.
End of one period: Golden Knights 2 Kings 1
“Pretty good start,” Stone said after one period. “You can’t let that last goal happen.”
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The Kings tied the game at two with a goal by Trevor Moore at 6:18.
But Karlsson – fresh off his false-positive — countered, notching his seventh off a nice re-direct/tip-in from assists from Alex Martinez and linemate Jonathan Marchessault at 15:15 and the Knights moved ahead, 3-2. It was Karlsson’s 200th point as a Golden Knghts player. Martinez is a former LA Kings player who won Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014.
End of second period: Golden Knights 3 Kings 2. VGK dominated shots in the period, 16-5.
“My first time back here since being traded. It’s a little weird seeing this locker room,” said Martinez, the first time in the Kings’ arena since being traded by LA to the VGK.
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MId-way through the third period, the Knights’ William Carrier scored and gave the Knights a two-goal lead at 4-2. VGK defenseman Nic Hague was credited initially for the goal, but it appeared as if Carrier got a piece of the shot. In fact, there was a scoring change with Carrier getting the goal, with Hague getting the assist.
Final score: Vegas Golden Knights 4 Los Angeles Kings 2
It was the fifth straight win for the Golden Knights, now 21-6-1 and good for first in the West Division.
Knights box score:
Friday’s NHL results:
PSA