FSM Essential Recap: Golden Knights vs Capitals - Game 47 - 2023

FSM Essential Recap: Golden Knights vs Capitals – Game 47 – 2023

Franchise Sports Media

Vegas Golden Knights (29-16-2)  | Washington Capitals  (26-18-6)

The Golden Knights jumped out with two early first-period goals and never looked back against the Washington Capitals in a bounce-back effort after Vegas lost three straight.

The number three is considered to represent time: past, present, and future. The Vegas Golden Knights’ three-game losing streak is dead and buried. And what better way to come alive than an offensive onslaught? The Knights punched the Alex Ovechkin-less Washington Capitals 6-2 on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena.

Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy said maybe a few losses caught the player’s attention. They were tired of the losing, and the Knights wanted shots on net.

“I don’t know if we will ever be that high volume of a shooting team,” he said. “We got a lot of guys that want to look for the extra pass. We have to find extra ways to score goals, and that was evident tonight.”

Paul Cotter scored two goals – the final two goals of the night for Vegas – and another four Knights scored a goal each. This was Cotter’s seventh and eighth goals in 2022-23.

Cassidy said he trusts Cotter to play anywhere on the ice. “Good for Paul for stepping in and doing the job,” Cassidy said. “He might not have the numbers, but he’s there every night doing his job. He’s like (Brayden) McNabb. He’s unsung. He goes to work every day and plays hard.”

The win moves Vegas back into first place in the NHL’s Pacific Division, just one point ahead of rival Seattle Kraken.

Alec Martinez scored the game’s first goal 2:17 into the first period and would nab another point later in the first period with an assist on a Nicolas Roy goal to put the Knights up 2-0. Martinez’s quick goal pushed the Golden Knights to 21-4-0 when Vegas scores first this season.

Cassidy has been critical of the team for slow starts. This is the first time Vegas was on the scoreboard in five games. He said the Knights took advantage of what Washington gave them on Saturday night.

“We created some turnovers,” Cassidy said. “We get going on the rush and beating their forwards up on the ice on our second wave. So, when you watch (Washington) and look at the numbers, every team has a soft spot. I thought we did that well, and we got pucks behind the goal line.”

Washington now finds itself in a tough position as the NHL is now beyond the halfway point of the season. It’s evident they are missing the league’s second-all-time leading goal scorer in Ovechkin. Ovechkin is day-to-day for the Capitals after suffering a lower-body injury this past Thursday in a Washington 4-0 against the Arizona Coyotes. He leads the Capitals with 30 goals and 52 points.

According to NHL.com, forward Anthony Mantha filled in for Ovechkin during the Capitals‘ morning skate in Las Vegas. Michael Amadio, Byron Forese, and Cotter would all score in the second period and stretch Vegas’ advantage over the Capitals to 5-0 before Washington’s T.J. Oshie would finally put the Caps on the scoreboard.

Logan Thompson had another solid night for the Golden Knights, allowing the two Capitals goals on 22 shots. Former Colorado Avalanche and Stanley Cup Champion goalie Darcy Kuemper, who started in net for Washington, would be pulled halfway through the second period after allowing four goals on 14 shots.

Both teams would lay a goose egg in the power play category, going a combined 0-of-4.

Takeaway

Thompson improves his career record against Washington to 3-0.

Tomorrow, the Golden Knights travel to Tempe, Arizona, to face the Arizona Coyotes at Mullett Arena.  Puck drop is at 5 p.m. Watch the game on AT&T SportsNet (channel 313 on Cox Cable). Or you can listen to 98.9 FM, FOX Sports Las Vegas 1340 AM.