FSM Essential Recap: Golden Knights vs Flames - Game 69 - 2023

FSM Essential Recap: Golden Knights vs Flames – Game 69 – 2023

Franchise Sports Media

Vegas Golden Knights (42-21-6)  | Calgary Flames  (31-24-14)

The Golden Knights’ hot four-game win streak burns out, losing to the Calgary Flames at The Fortress, 7-2. 

The Golden Knights vs Flames start of the first period.

After a successful five-game road trip, the Vegas Golden Knights returned home to The Fortress at T-Mobile Arena. But the homecoming party was spoiled by visiting Calgary Flames, who won 7-2.

The Flames, who had only lost 3 of their previous 20 games, scored seven goals for the third time this season. Four goals came in the third period.

“It’s a huge win,” Blake Coleman said. “Obviously, we’ve had trouble in third periods putting teams away. From start to finish, we did a pretty great job tonight making sure we didn’t take our foot off the gas.”

The win for the Calgary Flames was also their first win in Vegas since the Golden Knights have been in the league since 2017. During the previous meetings, the Golden Knights had outscored Calgary 34-11.

“It feels good winning here,” Flames forward Mikael Backlund said. “Being a part of all the losses here, it feels really good to finally win here and break that record, spell whatever you call it. It feels good to see Winnipeg lose and get closer to a playoff spot. We know we still need to be more consistent and play a lot better every night, but tonight was a big game for us and a step forward.”

Tyler Toffoli and Blake Coleman each scored twice, and MacKenzie Weegar, Mikael Backlund, and Dillon Dube also scored for the Flames. Calgary goaltender Jacob Markstrom stopped 17 shots to win for the fourth time in his last six starts.

Vegas goaltender Jonathan Quick finished the game with 23 saves and suffered his first loss as a starter since being acquired by Vegas.

Reilly Smith had a goal and an assist, and Zach Whitecloud also had a goal. The Golden Knights were 0-for-4 on the power play and had their four-game win streak snapped. With the loss in regulation, the Golden Knights are one point ahead of the Los Angeles Kings in the Pacific Division after the Kings won 4-1 over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

“We got in our own way tonight in a lot of different ways,” Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. “Our power play was ‘fill in the blank.’ I’ll settle for awful because that’s what it was, and it had a chance to be a difference-maker tonight.”

The Golden Knights vs Flames end of the first period.

The Golden Knights scored two quick goals in the second period and looked like they could keep the tempo moving forward. But the Flames turned the heat up in the third period. 

The Golden Knights vs Flames start in the second and third periods.

The Flames were leading 3-2 going into the third period despite giving up two goals from Vegas.

The highlight of the game came from Mikael Backlund scoring on a power play goal after his shot bounced off of Alex Pietrangelo’s stick to extend the lead 4-2.

The 4-2 lead was not enough for the Flames. Toffoli scored his second goal of the night for a 5-2 lead at the 13:16 mark of the third period. Coleman scored an empty net goal about two minutes later for a 6-2 lead.

With just over three minutes left, Dillon Dube scored a quick one-timer for a 7-2 lead to put the game away and entirely out of reach for the Golden Knights.

“Obviously, we’ve had trouble in third periods putting teams away,” Coleman said. “From start to finish, we did a pretty great job tonight making sure we didn’t take our foot off the gas. It’s two big points for us, and we’ll take and get out of here.”

The Golden Knights vs Flames final score was 7-2, Calgary.

The Golden Knights will remain home when they play against the Columbus Blue Jackets at T-Mobile Arena on Sunday. The puck drops at 1:00 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.