Golden Knights Bury Winnipeg, 4-1, In Game 5 To Clinch First Round Series Thursday; VGK Advance To Play Either Oilers Or LA
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Story by Alan Snel Photos by Omer Khan
Just the facts: Vegas Golden Knights 4 Winnipeg Jets 1 in Game 5 of First Round Best of 7
Golden Knights goal scorers: Chandler Stephenson (2 goals), Mark Stone, William Karlsson
Bottom Line: VGK win series, 4-1, to advance to Round 2 to play either Edmonton or Los Angeles
Attendance: 18,476
Key factor: Golden Knights defense was outstanding with Karlsson, Stone, Stephenson stepping up in the goal-scoring department. Laurent Brossoit was solid in goal.
Postgame quote: VGK defenseman Zach Whitecloud — “We’re here to win. Whatever you need to do, you do.”
Significance: The Knights closed the series, the first NHL team to move into Round 2. Both Carolina and Toronto lost potential series-clinching Games 5.
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Vegas Golden Knights fans coped with Las Vegas’ road construction, traffic and Strip congestion to make their way to T-Mobile Arena for Game 5 as the VGK will attempt to close the series with a win tonight.
The Knights led the Winnipeg Jets, three games to one, in the NHL playoffs’ Best-of-7 first round match.
The Golden Knights lost the first game of the series, but have reeled off three straight wins, including the last two in Winnipeg.
Tonight, the Knights made it four straight to clinch the series.
Winnipeg’s coach, Rick Bowness, was short and terse with the media after the loss. “This will be short and sweet,” he said. “I’m disappointed and disgusted. There was no pushback.”
Vivid Seats’ get-in price was $42 for a “no view” ticket in the Hyde lounge in two corners of the area. The Knights say venue seated capacity is 17,367.
The game featured the absence of a healthy Phil Kessel, the VGK ironman winger who did not play while winger William Carrier returned to the lineup.
Solid defenseman Brayden McNabb was out with an injury and Ben Hutton took his spot. Shea Theodore was also missing, replaced by Brayden Pachal. Hutton and Pachal were paired up on the blueline.
The Golden Knights played well in the opening period, limiting the Jets to five shots on goal with VGK center Chandler Stephenson taking a pretty pass from Mark Stone and easily beating Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck.
The Knights led, 1-0, after one period.
The Golden Knights came out flying in period two as Stone scored only 42 seconds into the middle stanza before William Karlsson took a pass from Michael Amadio and swept the puck into the net four minutes later.
Stephenson then added a power play goal and the VGK were rolling, 4-0, midway through period two.
The Knights went into the second intermission with the 4-0 lead as their defense continued to stifle Winnipeg, limiting the Jets to only 14 shots on goal through the first 40 minutes.
The Jets avoided the shutout with a score by Kyle Connor with 5:38 left in period three.
Stone acknowledged that the VGK played “a little sloppy” after Winnipeg pulled its goalie for a sixth skater. Both Stone and Stephenson like playing with their linemate Brett Howden, who is hitting his stride and playing with grit and hustle in the playoffs.
“He’s playing with confidence. You can see it,” Stephenson said.
Final in series-clinching game: Vegas 4 Winnipeg 1.
