FSM Essential Recap: Golden Knights vs Lightning - Game 65 - 2023

FSM Essential Recap: Golden Knights vs Lightning – Game 65 – 2023

Franchise Sports Media

Vegas Golden Knights (39-20-6)  | Tampa Bay Lightning  (38-21-6)

 

The Golden Knights get a late scare in the third period but survive in overtime, defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning, 4-3. The Golden Knights vs Panthers first period. 

The Golden Knights vs Lightning start of the first period.

The Vegas Golden Knights’ five-game road trip did not start off the right way losing to the Florida Panthers, but Las Vegas was looking to turn things around in Tampa, Florida.

The Golden Knights indeed accomplished that, defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3  in overtime after Alec Martinez scored 3 minutes into the extra period after tipping the puck on a Jack Eichel shot from the slot.

“I think we found our emotional needle in this game,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. “The little scrum or whatever probably dragged us into it. Now the temperature goes up. A couple of those shifts got us engaged. I’ve always been ok with that for our group.”

The victory for the Golden Knights puts them atop the Pacific Division, tied with the Los Angeles Kings, and completes the season series by sweeping the Lightning 2-0.

“It’s that time of the year where every point is huge,” Vegas goalie Jonathan Quick said. “It’s a great team over there, and we battled hard for those two points.”

As much as the win for the Golden Knights was significant, the other storyline involved was how physical the game was. Hard hits from both teams resulted in fights which led to a combined 146 penalty minutes, 11 minor penalties, and ten misconducts.

Keegan Kolesar, William Karlsson, and Chandler Stephenson all scored for Vegas, and Jonathan Quick finished the game with 34 saves.

“With some of the injuries, it presented an opportunity for me to come here,” said Quick, who helped the Kings win the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014. “Like I said when I first came here, if they need me in the net, I’ll be in the net.”

Brayden Point scored twice and had one assist, and Nikita Kucherov scored one goal and had two assists for the Lightning.

Keegan Kolesar scored 27 seconds into the first to put the Golden Knights on the board first, but at the four-minute mark, Brayden Point tied the game 1-1 after a rebound shot from Kucherov.

“Overall, I thought our game wasn’t bad,” Point said. “We would’ve liked to get two [points]. I thought our 5-on-5 game, for the most part, was good. We were skating. We were competing. That’s what we need right now to work our way out of a tough stretch.”

The Golden Knights vs Lightning end of the first period.

The score remained tied throughout the second period, but Tampa Bay outshot Vegas 21-8. Going into the third period, the game got physical. 

The Golden Knights vs Lightning second and third periods.

Just over two minutes into the third, William Karlsson put the Golden Knights back in the lead 2-1  after scoring on a short-handed breakaway.

“I didn’t realize it went in until (Vegas forward) Reilly [Smith] came over,” Karlsson said. “He was the messenger. It was nice that it went in. It’s been a while. I’ve had opportunities, and it was nice to get a greasy one. I’ll take that any day.”

Chandler Stephenson extended the lead to 3-1 after a power play goal after a redirection shot from Shae Theodore. The Golden Knights led 3-1, with over two minutes left in the third period until both Kucherov and Point scored to tie the game 3-3.

But despite the efforts to tie the game at the end of the third period, it was not enough in overtime.

“When we were in our own zone, we were quick on it,” Cooper said. “We were winning battles. It’s unfortunate we didn’t get two points.”

The Golden Knights vs Lightning final score was 4-3, Las Vegas.

The Golden Knights will remain on the road when they play against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena on Saturday. The puck drops at 4:00 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.