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By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher/Writer
Just the facts: Seattle Kraken 4 Vegas Golden Knights 2
VGK goal scorers: Nic Roy, Phil Kessel
Story line: Vegas started slowly, and had only 18 shots on goal midway the third period.
Takeaway: VGK coach Bruce Cassidy said Knights were not prepared to play.
Attendance: 18,119
VGK record: 16-5-1 for 33 points leading the Pacific Division, Second-place Seattle improved to 12-5-3 for 27 points (Kraken are 9-1-1 in last 11 games)
Knights’ next game: Saturday 7PM at T-Mobile Arena against Vancouver
Quote: Mark Stone said Seattle played fast.
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William Carrier’s goal-scoring ways pays off.
On the Vegas Golden Knights scoreboard.
And for his charity via Lan Beyster’s checkbook.
Beyster, one of the main ringleaders in a VGK Misfits fan group, pledged $1,000 to Carrier and his charity for each goal he scores.
Carrier, a speedy fourth-line winger, known for his hustle around the ice and physical play, has notched seven goals already this season, which is at the quarter pole.
LVSportsBiz.com interviewed Beyster before today’s Vegas vs Seattle game to find out why she’s helping Carrier’s charity. She is also donating $1,000 for each goal scored by Daniil Miromanov, a defenseman on the Henderson Silver Knights.
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LVSportsBiz.com supports Mark Shunock’s amazing event at the Palms. Here’s your personal invite from Shunock:
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Carrot Top cranked the siren to get this 5 PM game off and skating, but the Golden Knights came our slow and soft against the Seattle Kraken in a matchup of the NHL’s 31st and 32nd franchises.
Ryan Donato scored his third goal of the season before Andre Burakovsky notched his sixth of the year to give the Kraken a 2-0 lead over the VGK and goalie Adin Hill.
VGK coach Bruce Cassidy mixed the lines to jumpstart the club and get the attention of the Saturday’s underperforming players.
Paul “Welcome Back” Cotter was switched to the top line with Mark Stone and Jack Eichel. First line left winger Chandler Stephenson was moved to the Keegan Kolesar and William Carrier. The Misfits line was broken up as Phil Kessel joined Reilly Smith and William Karlsson.
But the Knights countered with a power play goal from Nic Roy, who was back in the lineup after missing several games.
Then, ironman Phil Kessel was in the right place to swat in a goal from the right slot to knot the game at two apiece in the first period. It was Kessel’s fourth of the season. He beat goalie Philipp Grubauer pictured here.
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That man Burakovsky, the 27-year-old Austrian, scored again to give Seattle a 3-2 lead in the second period. He was a key piece of the Colorado Avalanche’s Stanley Cup-winning team last season, contributing 22 goals during the regular season and more key goals in the postseason.
Here’s a VGK fan with a jersey from Year 1– 57 for David Perron.
With less than two minutes to go in period two, Hill made a nice save on Seattle’s Jordan Eberle. But Eberle stuck with it, taking the rebound and lifting the puck into the net for a 4-2 Kraken lead. It was Eberle’s sixth goal of the season and that was the score after two periods.
Kraken netminder Philipp Grubauer played well in the second period, stopping all the VGK’s scoring chances. The 31-year-old German had played only four games leading into Friday’s game.