Slumping Golden Knights Play Scrappy Game To Beat High-Flying Florida Panthers, 5-3, Break Five-Game Losing Streak Before 18,265 Thursday
Story by Alan Snel Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell
The Vegas Golden Knights once ruled Sin City as kings of this always-expanding sports market. A miracle run to the Stanley Cup Finals in Year 1 will do that in 2018.
But now in Year 5, the Golden Knights — struggling to stay in the NHL playoff hunt — are sharing the headlines in Las Vegas.
Especially today when March Madness on First Thursday of the NCAA hoops tournament swept through the sportsbooks up and down the Strip, while the Las Vegas Raiders made a blockbuster trade to acquire former Packers wide receiver Davante Adams, one of the NHL’s best pass catchers and Raiders quarterback Derek Carr’s former teammate from Fresno State.
Ninety minutes before puck drop between the Florida Panthers and the reeling Golden Knights, a ticket on the VGK Ticket Exchange site was going for a minimum price of $35, then $30, plus fees for the VGK vs Fla. game at T-Mobile Arena on St. Patrick’s Day.
Everything was green inside the arena, from the center scoreboard to the ribbon lighting.
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The Knights are missing major pieces in their lineup. Forwards Mark Stone, Reilly Smith, Max Pacioretty; defensemen Alec Martinez and Brayden McNabb; goalie Robin Lehner.
They played the Panthers — with their 88 points and 41-13-6 record — to an even score after one period.
Florida scored first. Forward Carter Verhaeghe, having a big season with a plus 20, notched his 21st of the season when he slid the puck past VGK netminder Logan Thompson midway through the period.
But toward the latter stages of the first stanza, VGK fourth-line center Brett Howden fired the puck past Panthers goalie Spencer Knight (no relation to VGK).
After one period, the game was tied at one.
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In the second period, former Panther and current VGKer Evgenii Dadonov skated into the Florida zone, cut toward the center of the ice and let loose with an accurate wrister that beat Knight and gave the Golden Knights a 2-1 lead.
It was Dadonov’s 13th goal of the season. He came into the game with a minus 5.
Then it was Dadonov scoring again to give the Knights a 3-1 lead, with assists from Shea Theodore and Jack Eichel.
Florida cut into the lead with 2:22 left in the second period when Sam Bennett scored his 25th.
After two periods: Vegas 3 Florida 2
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In the third period, the team said Eichel is not returning to the game with an “upper body injury.”
Midway through period three, the Knights were still clinging to that 3-2 lead.
VGK’s William Karlsson drew a rare penalty, this one for tripping, and Florida’s Sam Reinhart (goal 23) scored on the power play to tie the game at three.
But with 6:37 left in period three, Nick Roy broke in on Knight, went to his backhand and flipped the puck into the net. It was his 12th goal of the season and the announced crowd of 18,265 roared with approval.
It gave the Knights a 4-3 lead.
Karlsson scored an empty-netter, his eighth.
Final: Vegas 5 Florida 3.
Thursday’s games:
PSA
