Golden Knights Come To Life Too Late, Drop 3-2 Decision To Nashville Tuesday; Pacioretty, Stone, Lehner Still Out

 

Story by Alan Snel    Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell

Just the facts: Nashville Predators 3 Vegas Golden Knights 2

Storyline: Low-energy game for VGK until late in game with goalie Logan Thompson making first start

Attendance: 17,804

Record: VGK at 22-13-1 for 45 points

Goal scorers: William Karlsson, fourth of the season and 100th of his VGK career; Shea Theodore, his seventh

Quote: “I thought he came in and gave us a chance to win in a game where we probably didn’t deserve to, so that’s all you can ask.” — Golden Knights coach Pete DeBoer on Thompson’s performance.

 

The Predators led 3-0 in the third period behind two Filip Forsberg goals and Jusse Saros’s goaltending.

Then, the Knights came to life late in the final stanza.

William Karlsson scored his 100th career VGK goal to make it, 3-1.

And with Thompson off the ice in favor of an extra skater, VGK defenseman Shea Theodore scored with 1:46 to go in the third period to cut the deficit to 3-2.

The Knights had their chances in the final 30 seconds.

But the Preds and Saros held on. Final: Nashville 3 Golden Knights 2.

The VGK had 44 shots on goal compared to Nashville’s 26.

Karlsson on Thompson: “I thought he was great. He looked very confident. He looked calm. Very good first game.”

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Forsberg opened the scoring in the second period after a scoreless first period and the Predators scored a second goal on a sweet tip-in by Yakov Trenin. It was Forsberg’s 16th and Trenin’s seventh of the season.

Not exactly two periods of high energy hockey by the Golden Knights, even if they have 22 shots on goal to Nashville’s 21 after two periods.

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Logan Thompson, who has toiled for the Henderson Silver Knights, drew the goalie assignment for the Vegas Golden Knights in their game against the Nashville Predators Tuesday evening. It was his NHL debut.

“It was really exciting. My dad was able to make it out here tonight and I’m really thankful for the opportunity he was able to be here for this,” Thompson said. “I’m going to remember it forever.”

The Knights entered 22-12-1 after losing to Winnipeg Sunday, while Nashville had a 22-11-2 record for 42 points.

The Golden Knights had some interesting line combinations. William Carrier, a fourth line winger for the VGK, got promoted to the number one line with Chandler Stephenson and Evgenii “Who’s Your Daddy” Dadonov. Top-scoring wingers Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty are out, along with goalie Robin Lehner.

Puck-drop note: Lots of empty seats scattered all around T-Mobile Arena.

But those seats are bought, so they will show up in the attendance number that is announced in the third period. The Knights rank sixth in the NHL is attendance with 18,045 per game and tops in capacity percentage with 103.9 percent.  Capacity is 17,367 at T-Mobile Arena for VGK games. Tuesday’s attendance was announced at 17,804.

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Some non-Tyge pre-game photos.