Golden Knights Quiet Penguins Fans In Arena With 5-2 Win Over Pittsburgh Thursday; VGK Say Attendance Is 18,149 On Pride Knight
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Story by Alan Snel Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell
The Vegas Golden Knights management did not mind all the Pittsburgh Penguins fans in the ice building just off the Strip Thursday.
After all, the Knights were happy to take a win over the formidable Penguins — and their fans’ money for tickets, beer and food.
The 26-12-2 Golden Knights jumped on Pittsburgh for a 3-0 lead after the first period thanks to goals by former Pen Phil Kessel (7), back-in-the-lineup Jack Eichel (14) and Chandler Stephenson (11).
VGK coach Bruce Cassidy kept Stephenson in the center spot on the top line, inserted Eichel as the center on the second line between Reilly Smith and Nic Roy and had William Karlsson anchor the third line with wingers Paul “Welcome Back” Cotter and the crafty Kessel.
With Roy playing wing with Eichel, the fourth line had Jake “from Henderson” Leschyshyn as center.
The Knights tabbed Adin Hill to play between the pipes and he was effective for the first two periods, shutting out the 19-12-6 Penguins. Pittsburgh entered the game two points out of the last playoff spot in the East.
The Knights announced attendance at 18,149 on Pride Knight. The VGK lead the NHL in attendance capacity percentage.
Cotter talked postgame about playing against Pittsburgh great Sidney Crosby:
Mark Stone delivered a crushing goal with less than 10 seconds to go in the second period, when the puck trickled behind Pens netminder Casey DeSmith for a 4-0 VGK lead after two periods. It was Stone’s 17th goal of the season.
Hill lost the shutout in the third when the Pens’ Ty Smith scored to make it 4-1.
The Knights matched that goal when Cotter took a feed from Kessel and fired it into the twine for a 5-1 lead.
Penguins great Sidney Crosby scored a late-game goal to polish off the scoring.
Final: Vegas 5 Pittsburgh 2
The Knights improve to 27-12-2 for 56 points, while Pittsburgh fell to 19-13-6, remaining at 44 points.
