Golden Knights Lose Third Straight At Home, 3-2, To Detroit Red Wings Thursday; Attendance Announced At 17,911; VGK Coach Cassidy On Eichel: ‘Expectations Not Being Met’
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Story by Alan Snel Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell
Vegas Golden Knights home games are starting to resemble Las Vegas Raiders home games: fans of the opposing teams filling seats and the home team suffering losses.
On Thursday, there were red jerseys scattered around T-Mobile Arena and chants of “Let’s Go Red Wings” competed with home team cheers of “Go Knights Go.”
With the game half over, the Red Wings led the Vegas Golden Knights, 3-1, as the Vegas club exhibited a defense that allowed open ice in front of its net and was guilty of giving away the puck to allow for some good Detroit scoring chances.
The Knights would not catch up, losing, 3-2, to Detroit before an announced crowd of 17,911. The Knights have lost three straight on home ice to Edmonton, Dallas and Detroit and never held a lead in those three games. The Knights have split their 26 games at home — 13 wins and 13 losses.
We’re not outscoring our mistakes — Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy
Less than three minutes into the game, Detroit’s Lucas Raymond tapped in an easy goal for a 1-0 lead.
The Red Wings held the lead until the final minute until VGK defenseman Alex Pietrangelo scored on a shot that Detroit goalie Ville Husso appeared to whiff.
After a 1-1 tie after the first period, Dominik Kubalik one-timed a power play goal less than three minutes into period two and Joe Veleno followed with a goal for a 3-1 lead after two periods.
More action, less talk — Golden Knights forward William Karlsson after the loss
Vegas has eight third period comebacks, followed by seven each for Tampa Bay and Vancouver. The league average is 3.8.
But the Knights’ number one line of Jack Eichel, Chandler Stephenson and Phil Kessel failed to click tonight.
Expectations not being met — Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy on Jack Eichel
The Knights’ William Karlsson scored a goal with about 30 seconds left in the third period with VGK goalie Adin Hill pulled from the net.
The Knights could not notch the equalizer.
It was another game where the Knights did not come out playing with a sense of desperate urgency. “Not enough from the start,” Cassidy in his media availability.
Final: Detroit 3 Vegas 2
The Knights are officially out of first place:
After the game, Pietrangelo said, “Can we get better? Yes, one hundred percent.”
The Knights play Washington Saturday night to wrap up the seven-game homestand.
