Golden Knights Ignore Outside Noise, Take Conference Final Game 1 Against Colorado Avalanche, 4-2, In Denver Wednesday
By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher-Writer
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — There sure was a lot of noise off the ice for the Vegas Golden Knights the last few days.
General Manager Kelly McCrimmon said the team made a mistake when coach John Tortorella blew off the media in Anaheim after the Knights won Game 6 and clinched the Round 2 series last week. Then McCrimmon and the VGK drew the wrath of NHL fans and even hockey coaches for denying the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings the chance to interview former coach Bruce Cassidy.
It’s VGK vs the rest of hockey nation and the Golden Knights just keep rolling along.
Like Wednesday evening when the Knights scored two goals in the second period and a third goal in period three before holding back a Colorado Avalanche comeback for a 4-2 win in the opening game of the Best-of-7 Western Conference Final.
Unlikely scorer Dylan Coghlan, the only VGK defenseman with a hat trick in team history, opened the scoring for Vegas with his first goal since December 2021. Then red-hot Pavel Dorofeyev scored his postseason-leading tenth goal thanks to an elite pass from playoff scoring leader Mitch Marner for a Vegas 2-0 lead after two periods.
Brett Howden scored his ninth of the playoffs early in the third for a 3-0 lead before the Avs rallied with goals by Valeri Nichushkin on a sweet between-the-legs redirect and Gabriel Landeskog on a 6-on-4 to slash VGK’s 3-0 lead to 3-2.
The postseason’s assist leader, VGK center Jack Eichel, missed an open net but got credited with yet another assist because fourth-line center Nic Dowd swooped in and shot the puck into an open net to seal the 4-2 Vegas win in Game 1. Game 2 is Friday in Denver.
“Our players aren’t fazed,” Tortorella said. “We’re going to try and play our game.”
Both teams missed injured stars — VGK captain Mark Stone and Colorado star defenseman Cale Makar.
PSA
