FSM Essential Recap: Golden Knights vs Avalanche - Game 60 - 2023

FSM Essential Recap: Golden Knights vs Avalanche – Game 60 – 2023

Franchise Sports Media

Vegas Golden Knights (35-19-6)  | Colorado Avalanche  (34-19-5)

 

 The Golden Knights lose their second-straight game with a  shutout to the hands of the defending Stanley Cup Champion, Colorado Avalanche, losing 3-0. 

The Golden Knights vs Avalanche first period.

The Vegas Golden Knights had an unfortunate loss to the Dallas Stars,  but the next day Vegas made a trade with the St. Louis Blues getting a newcomer forward  Ivan Barbabsev. 

The Golden Knights are hoping this trade will help in the long run but they needed to get through their opponent

That opponent was the defending Stanley Cup champions Colorado Avalanche, also since still the trade, Ivan Barbashev made his debut with the Vegas Golden Knights. 

The first period started in a fast and furious way for the Avalanche, who scored the first goal five seconds into the period after Mikko Rantanen scored to put the Avalanche on the board first 1-0.

Rantanen’s quick score tied for the seventh-fastest goal to start a game in Avalanche history.

‘‘It’s nice to start the game like that,” said Rantanen

After the first goal, Vegas was outshooting the Avalanche at first getting more chances at first, but Colorado started to gain some opportunities as well, as the first period ended 1-0 with the Avalanche still in the lead.

The Golden Knights vs Avalanche end of the first period.

Both teams put up the same amount of effort, but Vegas was unable to generate any tempo to score.

The Golden Knights vs Avalanche second and third periods.

The second period remained the same score until about four minutes left when Mikko Rantanen scored his second goal of the night, his 40th goal of the season after shooting a clear shot past Vegas goaltender Adin Hill to extend the lead 2-0 for the Avalanche.

“It’s just a number. I feel like it doesn’t change too much,” Rantanen said. “I’m not going to celebrate it too much tonight. [It’s] more about the win and the two points. I’m glad to help the team. If I can score as many goals as I can, then I think it’s going to help the team win. So that’s all I care about.”

The Golden Knights could not generate any kind of offense throughout the second period and third periods as well.

With about three minutes left in the third period, Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy pulled Adin Hill, which gave the Avalanche an empty net goal opportunity; 

The Avalanche cashed in on that opportunity when Nathan MacKinnon scored the empty net goal to once again extend the lead and put the game away as the Colorado Avalanche handed the Vegas Golden Knights their second straight loss 3-0.

Adin Hill ended the night with 31 saves, the loss for the Golden Knights was their first regulation loss since January 27, and their nine-point streak ended as well. Over the last 10 games the Golden Knights are now 6-1-3.

“They checked us well,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. “I thought the difference in the game for us, in the O-zone, we got pushed off pucks pretty much all night. We generated a few slot looks, but we didn’t get a second chance from that. If you want to score goals in this league, you got to separate and be hard on it or you got to execute at a high level. Tonight, we did not do that. That was very evident.”

Ivan Barbashev’s debut for Vegas resulted in -1 16:40 of ice time.

‘For whatever reason, we just didn’t play well,” Vegas defenseman Alec Martinez said.

The Golden Knights vs Avalanche final score is 3-0.

The Golden Knights will hit the road when they play against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena on Monday. The puck drops at 6:00 pm. The game can be seen on  AT&T SportsNet (channel 313 on Cox Cable) or heard on 98.9 FM, FOX Sports Las Vegas 1340 AM.