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Story by Alan Snel Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell
Just the facts: Vegas Golden Knights 3 Toronto Maple Leafs 1
VGK goal scorers: Nic Roy (first of season); Chandler Stephenson (3 ); Michael Amadio (1)
Attendance: 17,989
Storyline: Phil Kessel matched the iron man consecutive games played record with the contest tonight against the team that he played with when he started the streak. It’s an amazing record when you consider Kessel had to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic for two years. For the record, it’s 989 straight games for the 35-year-old Kessel, who sits on 399 goals in his career. The Knights played well in the third period to score two goals to break a 1-1 tie, while applying the clamps on the Toronto offense.
VGK record: 5-2-0 for 10 points, first place in division with a goal differential of plus eight
VGK next game: vs Sharks in San Jose Tuesday night
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Secondary market ticket reseller Seatgeek had tickets starting at $66.
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Phil Kessel thought he scored his 400th goal of his career on a VGK power play. But Toronto challenged, saying there was an offsides. The officials agreed. The goal was waived off and Kessel’s career goal count was back to 399.
But Roy scored afterwards on the same power play and the Knights led, 1-0, in period one. Kessel, at least, had an assist on the Roy goal — his second assist in seven games for the Knights.
The Knights controlled the play, limiting Toronto to only three shots in the first 13 minutes of period one. The Leafs picked it up in the latter stages of the opening period and finished with eight shots on goal compared to the Knights’ 10.
VGK coach Bruce Cassidy reshuffled the lines, with Chandler Stephenson placed on left wing alongside center Jack Eichel and right wing Mark Stone for the first line. Then, the old Misfits Line of William Karlsson, Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault were reunited for the second line, with Kessel placed on the third line with center Brett Howden and winger Michael Amadio.
After one period: VGK 1 Leafs 0
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The Toronto fans have been known to travel well to follow their Leafs in games in Las Vegas. And there was an impressive showing of blue-and-white jerseys in the T-Mobile Arena stands tonight.
There was a decent roar of approval in the rink when Toronto’s William Nylander notched his fourth of the season to knot the game at one mid-way through the second stanza.
After two periods: Golden Knights 1 Toronto 1
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The Knights finally cashed in some scoring chances. After Stone took a pass in front of the net and failed to convert, Stephenson dug the puck out and flipped it into an open net to give the VGK a 2-1 lead early in the third period.
Then, Amadio scored a goal off a nice pass from defenseman Nic Hague and Vegas stretched its lead to 3-1 midway through the final period.
VGK netminder Logan Thompson played well, stopping 22 of 23 shots.
Monday’s scores: