Game Recap: VGK vs Calgary and Edmonton
Golden Knights (37-23-8) Calgary (36-26-7) and Edmonton (37-24-8)
Going into the weekend, the postseason future of the Vegas Golden Knights was in jeopardy after a 4-0 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Friday.
With both the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers hot in pursuit of first place in the Pacific Division, the time had come for this Golden Knights team without its best player in Mark Stone, to find a way to win. Even more stringent, the Knights had to find a way to win on the road. But the Golden Knights responded like a first-place team, Sunday defeating the Flames 5-3, controlling the game from the very first period.
Before Calgary knew what hit them, Las Vegas was up 3-0. The Flames rebounded with two late second period goals to shorten the lead to one goal at 2-3 in favor of the Golden Knights, but a quick goal in the first two minutes of the third helped tie the game for the Flames.
Ultimately, the game would be taken by the Golden Knights with a last-minute goal by Shea Theodore with 1:10 left on the clock. Johnathan Marchessault put the game away with an open net goal to end the game 5-3.
Twenty-four hours later, the Golden Knights found themselves in a dog fight with the tenacious Edmonton Oilers.
This Oiler team had found a way to keep themselves in contention for first place in the pacific with a set of wins against Dallas, Chicago, and Nashville. This entire game, Edmonton had kept themselves ahead of the Golden Knights. However, late in the third period Marchessault, assisted by Reilly Smith, coming off a faceoff in Edmonton territory, got behind the defense and scored with a slap shot to the top right of the net. The score tied the game 2-2, sending it into overtime.
In overtime, a very different VGK team took the ice and showed why they could never be counted out. During regulation, the Golden Knights had played from behind the entire game, but with momentum on their side, Vegas played the remainder of the match on Edmonton’s’ side of the ice.
Midway through the overtime period, a great effort play by Will Karlsson and Marchessault, kept the puck in Edmonton’s’ zone, allowing Theodore once again to put the finishing touches on the game with a long shot from the top of the zone to send the Knights home with the win 3-2.
The back to back wins is the first time the Golden Knights have ever swept through Alberta and put the Knights on top of the division with a nice three-point lead over Edmonton. With both wins, the Golden Knights have some momentum riding into Wednesday night’s game against division opponent the Minnesota Wild, a team which the Golden Knights have had a tough time trying to overcome. Now more than ever, the Knights need to find a way to win in the ‘Land of Lakes.‘ With a three-point lead, Edmonton could quickly tie or overtake Las Vegas with another string of wins. The pressure is now on the Knights to keep up their play and continue to put numbers in the win column.
For now, the Golden Knights can take in a two-day break after a great two days of play on the road in hostile conditions against tough opponents.
VGK vs Calgary and Edmonton VGK vs Calgary and Edmonton VGK vs Calgary and Edmonton VGK vs Calgary and Edmonton
VGK vs Calgary and Edmonton
– JaRon Turner – Franchise Sports Media
Las Vegas! If you want another great place to watch the game, head to Al’s Garage in Summerlin. There are multiple televisions to watch all the games. Al’s has “Happy Hour” starting at 9 AM and ending at 9 PM. Al’s Garage is located at 11760 W. Charleston Boulevard, Las Vegas, Nevada 89135. Tell them, “The Franchise sent you!!”
Follow The Franchise on social media
