Elvis Night At VGK Game: Golden Knights 5 Columbus 3 Before 17,614 Thursday; VGK Goalie Carter Hart Injured, Leaves Game In First Period
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Story by Alan Snel Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — Elvis was in the building tonight.
Actually, a lot of Elvises were at the Vegas Golden Knights vs. Columbus Blue Jackets game where a fan dressed in Elvis garb fired up the crowd with the cranking of the siren.
(The Blue Jackets could have joined in the fun if they started goalie Elvis Merzlikins, but, instead, Jet Greaves started.)
The Elvis fun in the arena turned to Vegas concern when VGK goaltender Carter Hart was injured during play and Columbus scored while Hart could barely move. Akira Schmid was inserted into the lineup midway through the first period after Blue Jackets winger Boone Jenner scored his seventh.
After Kent Johnson scored his fourth with a shot that beat Schmid, original VGK misfit Reilly Smith tipped in a shot from the blue line from Vegas defenseman Ben “EF” Hutton to cut the Columbus lead to 2-1 in the first period.
After one period: Columbus 2 Vegas 1
The Golden Knights rebounded in the second period with Smith’s second goal and a Jack Eichel wrist shot that beat Greaves.
Vegas moved ahead, 3-2, in the second period.
Mark Stone then scored on the power play — his sixth straight game with a goal — and the Knights enjoyed a 4-2 lead late in the second period.
Columbus made it interesting when Kirill Marchenko scored with about five minutes to go in the third to make it a 4-3 lead before Brett Howden took a pass from Keegan Kolesar and scored a goal for a 5-3 lead two minutes later.
Final: Knights 5 Columbus 3
Vegas is 19-11-12 for 50 points in 42 games.
VGK play St. Louis Saturday at 7 PM.
At his postgame presser, coach Bruce Cassidy responded to questions by LVSportsBiz.com about his assessment of the season now that the campaign has moved into the second half. He mentioned the team’s resilience of coping with injuries to William Karlsson, Adin Hill, Shea Theodore and now Brayden McNabb. Plus Hart will be assessed.
But Cassidy said the team has struggled in overtimes and in closing out games. He also said Stone would be an all-star if there was an All-Star Game.
PSA
