FSM Essential Recap: Golden Knights vs Oilers - Game 4

FSM Essential Recap: Golden Knights vs Oilers – Game 4

Franchise Sports Media

The Vegas Golden Knights came up short in a 5-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers Friday night at T-Mobile Arena. The Knights are now 1-3-0 to start the season.  

The Knights were without Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty as well as defenseman Alec Martinez, who is listed as day-to-day after leaving Wednesday’s game in the third period. Now Vegas can add Zach Whitecloud to the list, as he left the game in the second period after blocking a shot; he did not return.

After the game, Pete DeBoer did not provide a specific update on Whitecloud’s status. However, he did say, “He’s going for evaluation, but it wasn’t good.”

The Knights have now lost three straight games after securing a 4-3 win against Seattle in the season opener. But Vegas struck first in all three periods and was particularly dominant at the start of the game.

The Knights pounced on every early Oilers mistake and held them without a shot attempt for the first six minutes of the first. Vegas was able to capitalize on the strong start, as Nic Roy scored his first of the season on an impressive deflection to give Vegas a 1-0 lead just 3:34 into the game.

But for the fourth straight game, the Knights were unable to hold a lead. In fact, the Knights had three one-goal leads but surrendered each one more quickly than the last. The longest Vegas lead came after the first goal.

Just over five minutes later, however, a costly penalty by Reilly Smith gave the Oilers exactly what they wanted, and the league’s best power play needed just 22 seconds to even the score.

Connor McDavid drew Robin Lehner well out of the crease and got both Vegas defenders to bite while he carried the puck through the slot. Lehner wasn’t able to handle the puck, and it slid past his pad and ultimately trickled across the goal line with help from Zach Hyman in the crease.

The Knights closed out the period with a few good chances, and the Oilers didn’t record a shot in the final 6:14 of the frame.

Much like the first, the second period started with a bang for Vegas.

The Knights regained the lead just 1:25 into the frame on Nolan Patrick’s first goal as a Golden Knight. It was another deflection goal. Dylan Coghlan fired the puck from the blue line, and Patrick got a stick on it from the circle.

But once again, the Oilers erased that lead quickly. This time, it took just 2:30. Hyman got his second of the game off a feed from McDavid from below the goal line. Lehner didn’t have a chance on the screened one-timed blast. Then, just 72 seconds later, Leon Draisaitl gave Edmonton its first lead of the game.

Midway through the frame, the Knights found themselves in the penalty box once again. However, a huge penalty kill kept the Oilers off the board. Edmonton was buzzing, recording seven shots on the unsuccessful opportunity, which included a 5-on-3 for 35 seconds. Lehner made several key stops to keep it a one-goal game.

The Knights had a strong finish to the second but were unable to beat Mikko Koskinen, who stopped 36 of 39 shots on the night. But a brutal turnover by Hague just 2:26 later led to a back-breaking goal for the Oilers, as Zack Kassian intercepted the puck and scored on a breakaway, forcing Lehner to open the five-hole and sliding it between the pads.

For much of the third, Edmonton sat back and played it safe, clearing pucks and protecting the lead.

Vegas is 0-2-0 so far on this homestand and trails Edmonton by eight points in the Pacific Division standings.

The Knights finish up the homestand Sunday against the New York Islanders at T-Mobile Arena. The puck drops at 7:00.