Vegas Golden Knights Close Out 3-2 Win Over New York Rangers Tuesday; VGK Coach Cassidy Pleased With Defense
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Story by Alan Snel Photos by Hugh Byrne
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — It’s always an emotional night when the Vegas Golden Knights join the other NHL teams to support those battling the terrible disease of cancer.
The truth, as we know, is that it’s a 365-day-a-year battle and we all know a close pal or family member who is trying to fight this horrid health condition.
Players like Shea Theodore likely draw inspiration from these courageous cancer battles as many fans don the cancer awareness theme jerseys with the lavender color.
Even the ads on the rink boards were in lavender as the New York Rangers, playing red-hot hockey on the road this season, visited the Golden Knights.
VGK rookie Braeden Bowman, playing on the first line with Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev and on the power play, scored the game’s first goal when he deposited a rebound past Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin in the first period.
VGK coach Bruce Cassidy said of Bowman, the free agent who just played his fourth NHL game: “He’s helping himself every night.”
Cassidy said Bowman was “good on the walls,” showed a willingness to block shots, manages the puck and was cerebral.
VGK defenseman Ben “EF” Hutton scored in the second period for a 2-0 VGK lead before the Rangers countered with a goal by forward Jonny Brodzinsky.
After two periods, Vegas 2 Rangers 1.
The game’s key sequence occurred on a VGK power play in the third when Shesterkin made several terrific saves and then VGK goalie Akira Schmid stymied a Rangers shortie attempt on a fabulous save before defenseman Shea Theodore notched his second goal of the season with the team’s second power play unit.
“Critical moment,” was the way VGK coach Bruce Cassidy put it after the game.
Shesterkin made this save before Schmid stoned a Rangers player on the shorty attempt and Theodore scored on the power play.
The Knights had a 3-1 lead and made the right call to challenge the Rangers second goal on an offsides call. Vegas won the challenge and retained its 3-1 lead.
Vincent Trocheck scored for the Rangers to cut the VGK lead to 3-2 and New York pulled Shesterkin for an extra skater.
Vegas stopped the Rangers’ last-minute efforts and the Golden Knights improved to 9-4-6 for 22 points. The Rangers dropped to 10-9-2 for 22 points.
PSA
