FSM Essential Recap: Golden Knights vs Hurricanes - Game 43

FSM Essential Recap: Golden Knights vs Hurricanes – Game 43

Franchise Sports Media

Golden Knights (25-15-3)  | Carolina Hurricanes (28-9-2)

 

The Vegas Golden Knights managed a third-period comeback to tie the Carolina Hurricanes but lost in overtime, 4-3.

 

The Vegas Golden Knights managed a third-period comeback to tie the Carolina Hurricanes but lost in overtime thanks to Sebastian Aho’s game-winning goal.

In terms of lineup changes, the Golden Knights welcomed back Zach Whitecloud and Mark Stone. Both players missed the last two games, with Whitecloud having back spasms and Stone in COVID-19 protocols. Laurent Brossoit also started for the Golden Knights for the first time since Jan 2.

Overall the Golden Knights played a very similar game to how they played against the Washington Capitals. Both teams were skating well, limiting chances, and playing with a playoff-like intensity. But also similar to Monday night against the Capitals, the Golden Knights struggled to score, especially in the first two periods.

After the first period, Las Vegas had just five shots on Vezina-level goaltender, Frederick Andersen. The Hurricanes were a different story as they had multiple grade-A chances on Brossoit, such as a powerplay shot from Andrei Svechnikov that hit the post.

To start the second, Brossoit misplayed the puck from behind his own net and had to bail himself out, making a big save on Teuvo Teravainen. But he could not make a save on Nino Neideritter, who scored to make the game 1-0.

The Hurricanes then scored just 57 seconds later as Chandler Stephenson lost the puck, which resulted in a two-on-one for the Canes. Svechnikov set up Vincent Trocheck, who scored his tenth goal of the season to make it 2-0.

With his team continuing to struggle offensively and the defensive effort starting to fade as well, Golden Knights head coach Peter DeBoer shuffled up his line combinations. This included putting Michael Amadio on a line with William Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault and putting Evgbenii Dadonov back on the first line with Stephenson and Stone.

A new fourth line of Brett Howden, Nolan Patrick, and Keegan Kolesar scored the first goal for the Golden Knights. Kolesar fought hard on the forecheck to win the puck and set up Patrick, who made a nifty move to score his second goal as a Golden Knight.

Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind A’Mour challenged the play, looking for goaltender interference but failed, and the goal stood.

 

This gave the Golden Knights a powerplay that carried over into the third period, and just like that, the game got interesting.

 

The Golden Knights got into a bit of penalty trouble in the third period. Alex Pietrangelo took a four-minute high sticking penalty on Jordan Staal. However, Teuvo Teravainen took a penalty amid the Hurricanes’ powerplay, and the Golden Knights killed off the other two minutes.

But Dylan Coghlan also went to the box for a trip on Nino Niederitter, and the Hurricanes made him pay. Anthony DeAngelo fired home a point shot seven seconds into the powerplay, and Sebastian Aho tipped the puck in to make it 3-1.

Pietrangelo took yet another high sticking penalty in the third period, and this time the Golden Knights were able to kill off the Hurricanes powerplay. This marks the second straight game in which the Golden Knights have been shorthanded five times.

But the Golden Knights would not let their discipline sink them as they came back in the third period and forced overtime. Patrick made another solid play to gain the zone and find Theodore. He then fired home a shot that may have hit Brett Howden, and the Golden Knights trailed by only one.

William Carrier gained the zone in the third period and fed Nicolas Hague, who scored from the blue line. The goal came with just two minutes and thirty seconds left in regulation. Brossoit then made a huge save on Svechnkikov to keep the game tied and force overtime.

Just like that, the Golden Knights were back in the game, but a failed pass from Pietrangelo to Carrier was picked off in overtime which set up a two-on-one for arguably the Hurricanes’ two best players. Svechnikov, who picked off the pass, fed Aho, who scored the overtime goal, winning the game for the Hurricanes, 4-3.

 

The Golden Knights will play the Florida Panthers Thursday night. The game can be seen on AT&T SportsNet, with the puck dropping at 4:00 pm.