Story by Alan Snel Photos by Hugh Byrne
After Tuesday’s Knights’ 5-4 win over the Calgary Flames, I asked Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy about his team blowing third period leads against Calgary and against San Jose on Sunday.
Cassidy pointed out to me that although he was concerned, the Knights do have 52 games to figure out the issue of blowing leads in the third period.
It happened again tonight. The Golden Knights took a 2-1 lead in the final period thanks to a goal by Jack Eichel set up by Paul “Welcome Back” Cotter.
But Vegas blew the lead.
The Sabres countered with goals by Casey Mittelstadt, 18-year-old Zach Benson and former VGKer Alex Tuch.
It was Buffalo 4 Vegas 2 mid-way through the third period.
And with 2:41 left to go in the third period, Buffalo’s Mittelstadt scored an empty-netter and the fans started their exodus.
Buffalo 5 Vegas 2.
After the game, Cassidy acknowledged that the VGK squandered another third period lead.
“We did have the lead,” he said. Then, “We played losing hockey out there.”
Cassidy did say he was content with the Knights’ scoring chances.
“We just didn’t finish,” he said. There was an “opportunity to score goals.”
The Knights, now 20-6-5 on the season, play Ottawa here in Vegas Sunday.