Lee Orchard, who plays the knights character.
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Story by Alan Snel Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell
Just the facts: Boston Bruins 3 Vegas Golden Knights 1
VGK goal scorers: Mark Stone in period one
Attendance: 18,114
Knights record: 20-9-1 for 41 points, off to Winnipeg Tuesday; next home game, Dec. 17 vs Islanders
Bottom line: With more injuries to Knights players, the margin for wins gets slimmer and VGK failed to cash in on their scoring chances.
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The Golden Knights’ nice start to the 2022-23 season is slowly starting to feel like last season when injuries to the VGK roster were cited for failing to reach the postseason.
Top scorer Jack Eichel and defenseman Shea Theodore missed the big Boston-Vegas game Sunday. Meanwhile, Alex Pietrangelo, the VGK defenseman who is pivotal to the Knights’ breakouts, is still out for personal reasons.
Then, another VGK defenseman went down in the second period against the Bruins, a veteran team that leads the NHL in points though coming off an upset loss to the Arizona Coyotes. VGK defenseman Zach Whitecloud looked gimpy as he left the ice as the Knights killed a penalty.
The Golden Knights actually scored first when Mark Stone took a pass on a power play at the side of the Bruins net and skated in front before he tucked the puck around sprawled Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark. It was Stone’s tenth of the season.
The lead held up into the second period until Patrice Bergeron scored his tenth goal of the season to knot the game at one.
For the third straight home game, the Knights were tied at one with their foe after two periods. On Wednesday, the Knights were blasted by the Rangers in the third period for four goals and lost, 5-1. Two days ago, the Knights eventually defeated the Flyers, 2-1, in overtime.
This game was much anticipated because the Brunes and Golden Knights lead their conferences. Plus, VGK coach Bruce Cassidy was fired by Boston last season after the Bruins lost to Carolina in the playoffs.
The Bruins seized the lead early in the third period when Jake DeBrusk took a saucer pass and flipped the puck into an open net past VGK netminder Logan Thompson for a 2-1 advantage.
A loud roar from the big Bruins fan base in the arena filled the venue.
Then midway through the period, more Bruins cheers when Charlie Coyle fired home his eighth of the season past Thompson. It began feeling a lot like the VGK-Rangers game from Wednesday.
Final: Bruins 3 Golden Knights 1