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-Cellular Area. Obligatory Credit score: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Photos The Vegas Golden Knights will attempt to bounce again from their worst dwelling loss in franchise historical past after they face the surging Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night time 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 night time, 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 mentioned afterward. “Not the best way we wish to play at dwelling.”
The six-goal dwelling loss was essentially the most lopsided in workforce historical past. The membership had misplaced by 5 targets at dwelling 4 occasions prior.
It was additionally the seventh recreation in 11 days for the Golden Knights, who did not land in Las Vegas till early Thanksgiving morning after a season-long five-game highway 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 shocking then that the Golden Knights got here out somewhat flat and regarded drained at the beginning within the loss to Utah.
“We did not execute nicely sufficient early on,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy mentioned. “We mismanaged the puck on the primary three targets. You find yourself chasing the sport. You possibly can’t chase the sport within the Nationwide Hockey League. You’ll catch up each occasionally … however it isn’t an excellent system, so we put ourselves in a foul spot.”
“We have to discover a solution to begin higher, particularly at dwelling,” veteran Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo mentioned. “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 on a three-game profitable streak.
It is the ultimate recreation of a three-game highway 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 recreation 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 gained for the fourth time in 5 video games.
“Getting the 2 factors is huge, particularly on a back-to-back,” Skinner mentioned. “It is onerous to do.”
“It is a good workforce win, so relaxation (Sunday) and go end (the highway journey) in Vegas,” Podkolzin mentioned.
After Tuesday’s recreation with the Golden Knights, Edmonton returns dwelling for eight of its subsequent 9 video games.
–Subject Degree Media
