FSM Essential Recap: Golden Knights vs Blackhawks - Game 32 - 2022

FSM Essential Recap: Golden Knights vs Blackhawks – Game 32 – 2022

Franchise Sports Media

Vegas Golden Knights (22-9-1)  | Chicago Blackhawks (7-17-4)

Reilly Smith scores two goals and Logan Thompson plays stellar to help Vegas sweep the mini two-game road trip as the Golden Knights defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1.

 

The stats on the road for the Vegas Golden Knights speak volumes about their dominance. Whenever the Knights score first, they are 9-2-0 in the last 11 games. In addition, the Golden Knights lead the NHL with a 15+ goal differential in the 1st period of action and have outscored their opponents 9-1 in the 1st period in the last six road games.

The Knights wanted to strengthen their road dominance as they traveled to the Windy City of Chicago at the United Center to play against the Chicago Blackhawks led by the dynamic duo of Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. 

Logan Thompson was in the net going up against Chicago’s Arvid Soderblom. The first period started in the right way for Vegas. About midway in the first period, the Knights were on the power play due to a boarding call on Jason Dickinson.

The power play for Vegas would pay off when Chandler Stephenson scored, giving the Knights a 1-0 lead at the 14:41 mark. Par for the course of the season, Vegas was already on the right track with another first-period goal. 

During the second period, the Blackhawks would get on the power play to try to change the game’s tempo, but it would not faze Vegas and their penalty kill unit when Reilly Smith scored a shorthanded goal to extend the lead for Vegas 2-0.

The shorthanded goal for Reilly Smith would be his 4th shorthanded goal of the year. Smith also leads the league in shorthanded goals as well.

Almost toward the end of the second period, Paul Cotter would leave the game due to a shoulder-to-shoulder hit from Chicago’s Jared Tinordi. 

In the third period, the Knights would continue to up the game’s tempo, playing magnificently on both sides of the puck. Phil Kessel would score from an assist from Daniil Miromanov, the goal from Kessel looked like it deflected off a skate from a Chicago player, but Phil the Thrill still got the credit for the goal extending the lead 3-0 for Vegas. 

Logan Thompson was looking to end the night with a shutout, but the Blackhawks said otherwise when Taylor Raddysh scored on a wrist shot from the left face-off circle to put the Hawks on the board 3-1 finally.

Later towards the end of the third, Chicago would be forced to pull their goalie Soderblom, giving the Knights the opportunity for an empty net goal. Vegas would capitalize on that opportunity when Reilly Smith scored his second goal of the night on an empty net extending the score 4-1 in favor of Vegas and giving them another victory on the road. The Golden Knights swept the mini two-game road trip series and will head back home to The Fortress at T-Mobile Arena for four straight home games.

Key Takeaways

Logan Thompson would end the night with 25 saves and a .960% SV. The two goals for Reilly Smith now tie Jonathan Marchessault for 14 goals this season. Through the first 32 games, Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith lead the team with 14 goals, Jack Eichel with 13 goals, and Mark Stone with 12 goals.

The Golden Knights will return home to The Fortress at T-Mobile Arena as they play against the New York Islanders. They are scheduled to drop the puck at 7:00 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.