VGK Close Out Six-Game Homestand With 4-3 OT Loss To Islanders Thursday; Golden Knights Fail To Close The Deal In Loss
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Story by Alan Snel Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — Well, the Vegas Golden Knights and New York Islanders generated quite a bit drama in the VGK’s final game of a six-game homestand.
The Knights held a 3-2 lead late in the game when New York’s Mathew Barzal blasted the puck past VGK goalie Akira Schmid with Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin pulled in favor of a sixth skater to tie the game at three apiece and send the tilt into overtime.
And after some end-to-end action with both goalies making some nice saves, Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored the game-winner on a short-handed goal and the Islanders skated out of Las Vegas with a 4-3 OT win.
In the six games at home, the Golden Knights won only one of the games. Out of a possible 12 points, the VGK secured only four points and have a record of 7-4-5 for 19 points in 16 games. Seven wins in 16 games has the VGK out of the playoffs at this early season junction.
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Reilly Smith smacked the puck into the net and the look on Smith’s face said it all — joy and relief.
The Original Misfit has been stymied this season with only one goal entering tonight’s Vegas Golden Knights vs New York Islanders game.
But Smith took a short pass from Brandon Saad at the right side of the net and fired it past Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin to crack a 2-2 tie and give the VGK a 3-2 lead midway through the final period at T-Mobile Arena Thursday.
Amid talk that the Knights’ depth has failed to supply enough goals, Smith’s second goal of the season was welcome news for the Vegas squad.
But the VGK could not retain the 3-2 lead.
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All eyes were on the young new guy, Braeden Bowman, signed as a free agent by the Vegas Golden Knights a mere eight months ago.
Only 22, he was aligned with two talented line mates, center Tomas Hertl and goal-scoring winger Pavel Dorofeyev, for tonight’s Vegas Golden Knights vs New York Islanders game at T-Mobile Arena where the VGK were trying to salvage the final game of a six-game homestand. The Knights had won only a game out of the last five home games.
With Mark Stone and William Karlsson injured and out of action, Bowman — the Henderson Silver Knights’ top goal-scorer this young season — was not only elevated to the VGK Top 6 forward group he also was placed on the top power play unit in the Stone spot.
Bowman played with poise and made some Stone-like moves during a power play, powering his way to the net.
Generally speaking, Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy liked what he saw of Bowman.
“There was a lot to like,” he said.
But it was the Islanders who cashed in on their opportunities. In period one, New York scored twice on six shots on goal with tallies by Emil Heineman (seventh of the season) and a power play score by 18-year-old Matthew Schaeffer.
The Vegas club looked disjointed after a decent first period that saw it trailing, 2-0. In the second period, the Knights were on the power play when Mitch Marner was whistled for a tripping penalty to wash out the one-man advantage. Cassidy disagreed with the penalty and through there was an embellishment by the Islanders player.
Sorokin was shutting out the VGK for nearly the first 40 minutes before VGK defenseman Shea Theodore stick handled around what looked to be the entire Islanders team, and in vintage Theodore style he put the puck into the net for a 2-1 deficit for his first goal of the season.
It turned out to be a nice VGK highlight in a tough Knights overtime defeat.
PSA
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