Nov 30, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Ilya Samsonov (35) reacts after surrendering a aim to Utah Hockey Membership middle Nick Schmaltz (8) in the course of the second interval at T-Cell Area. Necessary Credit score: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Photos The Vegas Golden Knights will attempt to bounce again from their worst house loss in franchise historical past after they face the surging Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday evening in Las Vegas.
Vegas, which holds a two-point lead over the second-place Los Angeles Kings within the Pacific Division, is available in off a 6-0 loss to the Utah Hockey Membership on Saturday evening, falling behind 4-0 within the first interval and permitting all six targets within the first 25 1/2 minutes. Goalie Jaxson Stauber, making simply his seventh NHL begin and first with Utah, made 29 saves to garner his first profession shutout.
“This one stings a bit,” Vegas ahead Tanner Pearson stated afterward. “Not the best way we need to play at house.”
The six-goal house loss was probably the most lopsided in workforce historical past. The membership had misplaced by 5 targets at house 4 instances prior.
It was additionally the seventh sport in 11 days for the Golden Knights, who did not land in Las Vegas till early Thanksgiving morning after a season-long five-game street journey. The next day, Vegas then grinded out an emotional, hard-fought 4-3 extra time win over Winnipeg (which entered Monday tied for first within the Central Division) within the entrance finish of a back-to-back.
Not stunning then that the Golden Knights got here out a bit of flat and appeared drained firstly within the loss to Utah.
“We did not execute properly sufficient early on,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy stated. “We mismanaged the puck on the primary three targets. You find yourself chasing the sport. You may’t chase the sport within the Nationwide Hockey League. You’ll catch up each on occasion … however it’s not a superb formulation, so we put ourselves in a nasty spot.”
“We have to discover a method to begin higher, particularly at house,” veteran Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo stated. “It is powerful to get down 4-0 within the first, however we tried to push our approach again. It is simply an enormous climb on this league.”
Subsequent up is defending Western Convention champion Edmonton, which is 5 factors behind Vegas, in a possible four-point-swing contest for each groups. The Oilers, who sputtered out of the gate with simply two wins of their first seven video games (2-4-1), are 7-2-1 over their final 10 video games and are available in on a three-game successful streak.
It is the ultimate sport of a three-game street journey for Edmonton. The trek started with a 4-3 extra time win over Utah on Friday and was adopted by a powerful 4-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday in Denver.
Stuart Skinner made 27 saves within the win over Colorado, and Vasily Podkolzin scored a aim in his third consecutive sport for the Oilers. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who scored the game-winner in extra time an evening earlier in Salt Lake Metropolis, had a aim and an help, and Kasperi Kapanen and Brett Kulak additionally scored targets for Edmonton, which received for the fourth time in 5 video games.
“Getting the 2 factors is huge, particularly on a back-to-back,” Skinner stated. “It is onerous to do.”
“It is a good workforce win, so relaxation (Sunday) and go end (the street journey) in Vegas,” Podkolzin stated.
After Tuesday’s sport with the Golden Knights, Edmonton returns house for eight of its subsequent 9 video games.
–Area Degree Media