FSM Essential Recap: Golden Knights vs Devils - Game 49 - 2023

FSM Essential Recap: Golden Knights vs Devils – Game 49 – 2023

Franchise Sports Media

Vegas Golden Knights (29-17-3)  | New Jersey Devils  (31-12-4)

 

Despite a tremendous effort in the Garden State on Tuesday night, VGK blew another chance to keep a stranglehold on the NHL’s Pacific Division with a heartbreaking loss to the New Jersey Devils

 

Teach me how to Dougie.

And maybe teach me how to Hughes.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes and defenseman Dougie Hamilton capped off a stellar comeback with a little bit of their own Vegas luck in Central New Jersey as they danced the Devils to victory – and another chaotic come-from-behind win for the Eastern Conference squad.

In overtime, Hughes, on his knees, slid against the board while pinned down by Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb, made – arguably – the pass of the year in the National Hockey League.

Backward and past McNabb and Chandler Stephenson, Hughes found the Devils’ Hamilton wide open facing the net. Hamilton smashed a laser past VGK goalie Logan Thompson for a 3-2 win at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on Tuesday night. Hamilton said he wasn’t sure how Hughes made the pass to him for the game-winner, and he thought Hughes might have been on his stomach.

“It was too juicy for me sitting there, so I just let it rip,” Hamilton said in a postgame interview with ESPN’s Emily Kaplan.

The overtime walk-off was scored on a power play thanks to a Vegas defenseman Ben Hutton penalty. He was sent to the box for a tripping penalty just a minute earlier.

Hamilton not only scored the game-winner but was already the hero for the Devils as he forced overtime against the Golden Knights. Hamilton tied the game at two with 1:10 left to go in the game, as the Devils were looking for anything with an empty net. Hamilton’s shot came from as far as it could have possibly been makable, just near the blue line. It flew above Thompson’s left shoulder.

The Devils‘ victory is their 15th come-from-behind win this season, leading the league.

Hamilton has hit back-to-back overtime game-winners for New Jersey. He did it this past Sunday in Pittsburgh, and the victory over VGK was New Jersey’s fourth-straight overtime game. Hamilton, an NHL journeyman, said the Devils‘ last two wins were just how lucky the game of hockey could be.

“It’s just the way it works, I think,” Hamilton said. “You shoot pucks, and sometimes they go in, and sometimes they don’t. For me, it’s just trying to get as many opportunities as I can and take them when they go in.”

 

The Golden Knights continue to string along inconsistent play pushing towards the All-Star break losing four of their last five games

 

After a dismal first period for Vegas, where New Jersey looked like the faster team, the second period belonged to the veteran deep Golden Knights. After giving up an Ondrej Palat goal in the first period, Thompson and the Knights played a near-flawless second period on both sides of the ice.

Hutton tied the game at 1-1 with eight minutes to go in the second frame.

Nearly three minutes later, center William Karlsson would push the Golden Knights up 2-1 off a beautiful pass by Jonathan Marchessault with 5:08 to go in the period. Before Hamilton’s equalizer, Devils goalie Vitek Vanecek and Thompson would share save after save to keep the game at 2-1 for most of the third period.

Excellent goalie play was on display in Newark on Tuesday night.

Vaneck has now won a career-high eight games in a row. He’s in legendary company, as he becomes the first Devils goalie to do that since Martin Brodeur in 2007-08. Thompson made 33 saves on 36 shots against the Devils.

Hutton not only played offense, but he also stepped up in front of the Golden Knights’ net as well. He cleared a puck out of the net late in the game that glided to the left of Thompson. The Devils and Knights – both Stanley Cup Final threats – will meet again on March 3 at T-Mobile in Las Vegas.

This loss pushes the Golden Knights to 15-4-3 on the road.

 

Takeaway

 

Vegas head coach Bruce Cassidy stressed less use of iPads on the Golden Knights bench on Tuesday night in an effort to create more communication and chemistry between Golden Knight players during the game. This was taken out of Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella’s playbook. Through two periods, this seemed to pay dividends for Vegas in Newark.

 

The Golden Knights will continue their road trip in the New York Metropolitan area and face the New York Rangers at the Madison Square Garden on Friday. The puck drop is set for 4 p.m.

TV: AT&T SportsNet (channel 313 on Cox Cable) or ESPN+

Radio: 98.9 FM, FOX Sports Las Vegas 1340 AM