Final Regular Season Home Game: Golden Knights Take Care Of Business With 4-1 Win Over Seattle Before Announced 18,377 Tuesday; Need A Point In Final Game In Seattle To Clinch Best Record In Conference
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Story by Alan Snel Photos by Hugh Byrne
Fans walked into T-Mobile Arena wearing shorts and T-shirts, so you know it’s hot here in April in Las Vegas. And the sweltering, record-heat 93-degree day meant only one thing — the Stanley Cup Playoffs are just days away for the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Knights were on the brink of clinching the best record in the Western Conference after defeating the two-year-old Seattle Kraken, 4-1, on the final home game of the regular season. But division foe Edmonton also won Tuesday, which means the Knights will need at least a point in Seattle in the regular season’s final game to clinch the top spot in the Western Conference and home ice throughout the conference playoffs.
The Knights were spoiled with four straight postseason appearance since their birth in the 2017-18 season, so last year’s non-playoff campaign was a stunner for the Golden Knights faithful.
The VGK’s first two goals looked very familiar tonight. In both cases, Knights’ winger Reilly Smith set up linemate Michael Amadio for in-close goals for a 2-1 lead. It was Amadio’s first two-goal game as a Knight and his first two-goal game since 2018.
The Kalsson/Smith/Amadio line was red hot in the second period as Amadio swooped in and made a bid for a hat trick. His shot was stopped, but Smith picked up the loose change and scored his 25th at 14:48 to give the Knights a 3-1 lead heading into the second intermission.
The Knights’ defense played well, limiting the 100-point playoff Seattle team to a goal by Yanni Gourde in the first period.
Knights goalie Laurent Brossoit was solid in the win.
VGK coach Bruce Cassidy said after the game Brossoit is helping his cause with his play, but he’s still evaluating the starting goalie situation for the playoffs. In fact, he noted he doesn’t even know who will start between the pipes in the final game of the season in Seattle Thursday.
The Knights have 109 points, leading Edmonton by two points after the Oilers defeated Colorado, 2-1, in overtime. Vegas has home ice in the Cup playoffs’ first round, but Edmonton’s win in Denver meant the Knights could not clinch the Pacific Division tonight.
The night ended with season-end player awards and VGK players giving their jerseys to select fans. VGK players William Carrier, Mark Stone, Shea Theodore, Jack Eichel, Zach Whitecloud and Logan Thompson did not suit up for tonight’s game.
The playoffs begin next week.
Here’s a look at the VGK reseller ticket prices for tonight’s game:
And NHL final scores for Tuesday:
