Golden Knights Win As Many As They Lose On Home Ice; Islanders Leave Vegas With 5-2 Win Over VGK; Attendance: 18,007
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By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher/Writer
By losing to the New York Islanders Saturday, the Vegas Golden Knights have won exactly as many games as they have lost in the friendly and loud confines of T-Mobile Arena.
The Knights fell to 8-8 at home after 16 games in Las Vegas. For the Knights, it’s a good thing they have played winning hockey away from Las Vegas because a glittering road record of 14-2-1 has the VGK in first place in their division.
VGK coach Bruce Cassidy, in his first season behind the Knights bench, acknowledged that teams come to Las Vegas ready to play in an arena known for its intense and loud atmosphere.
The Islanders took the early lead on a terrific shot by Anders Lee to assume a 1-0 lead after the first 20 minutes.
VGK Misfit winger Reilly Smith knotted the game with a power play goal early in the second period. It was Smith’s 15th before a decent crowd of 18,007.
New York countered with goals by Hudson Fasching at 4:30 and Simon Holmstrom at 17:36 of period two. It was Holmstrom’s first career goal.
The Islanders’ Casey Cizikas scored right at the second period buzzer, but the refs ruled the goal came after the period ended. No goal.
The Knights welcomed Alex Pietrangelo back. The veteran defenseman had to leave the team for a while to help his four-year-old daughter heal from a horrific flu situation.
It was Smith again with a power play goal to cut into the Islanders’ lead early in period three.
Down a tally and with some jump in their skates, the Knights buzzed around the Islanders zone looking for the equalizer.
VGK did suffer a loss when Mark Stone, the team’s emotional, hard-working captain, was injured and was helped off the ice.
The Knights could never tie the game.
Islanders center Brock Nelson scored an empty-netter for a 4-2 lead. Then, 38-year-old Zach Parise popped in an easy empty-netter and the Islanders capped the scoring for the 5-2 win.
Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov was excellent, stopping 36 of 38 shots.
Here’s Reilly Smith, post-game.
Tonight’s NHL scores:
Knights of yesteryear: A past VGK/Islanders game at T-Mobile Arena from Feb. 2020.
