FSM Essential Recap: Golden Knights vs Oilers - Game 44 - 2023

FSM Essential Recap: Golden Knights vs Oilers – Game 44 – 2023

Franchise Sports Media

Vegas Golden Knights (28-14-2)  | Edmonton Oilers (24-18-3)

 

The Golden Knights fall to the Edmonton Oilers 4-3, losing their 6th straight pacific divisional game.

 

The Golden Knights had a great comeback game against the Florida Panthers but needed to stay the course. They had another Pacific division team in their rearview mirror as they hosted the Edmonton Oilers at T-Mobile Arena.  

The Knights were without team captain Mark Stone, who is currently week-to-week with an upper-body injury he suffered in his last game against the Panthers. Logan Thompson was starting in the net.

Forty-five seconds into the first period, the Oilers struck first on the board after Mattias Janmark scored to put the Oilers on the board 1-0. All four of Janmark’s goals have come against three teams he had previously played for (Vegas, Chicago Blackhawks, and Dallas Stars).

The Knights trailing by one goal got only worse and too soon as expected; just about 57 seconds later, Leon Draisatil scored after shooting into an open net off a bouncing rebound from Connor McDavid’s initial shot to extend the lead for the Oilers’ 2-0. 

The Oilers were outshooting the Knights throughout the first period. Still, the Knights did finally answer late in the period after Keegan Kolesar scored after his attempt at a backhand centering pass from below the goal line bounced off Oilers goalie Jack Campbell into the net to make the score 2-1.

 

The Oilers controlled the first period on the offensive end, and the second period started the same. 

 

The Oilers remain to build up on the lead, and they achieved that goal when Leon Draisatil scored his second goal of the night after shooting from the right circle to extend the lead 3-1 in favor of Edmonton.

It seemed like the Oilers had an iron grip on the whole game, but several minutes later, the Knights again answered back when Paul Cotter scored after a backhand shot off a rebound to cut the score 3-2.

Whenever the Knights tried to climb back into the game, the Oilers continued to stretch the score even further. Just about 20 seconds later, with the goal from Cotter, the Oilers extended the lead again 4-2 after Klim Kostin beat Logan Thompson’s glove side on a rush.

Just over a minute left in the second period, the Knights continued to show fight, and it paid off when William Karlsson scored a one-timer shot getting the assist from Jonathan Marchessault to cut the score 4-3.

The second period ended 4-3, with the Oilers in the lead; the Knights were getting outshot despite finding suitable opportunities and climbing back within one goal going into the third period. But Vegas could not get those same opportunities in the third period, as the Edmonton Oilers held on to the lead and got the victory 4-3 over the Golden Knights.

Even though the Golden Knights are still currently in first place in the Pacific Division, the loss to the Oilers has now put them at six straight losses against Pacific division opponents (0-5-1).

“If I have to emphasize we’re playing a divisional team, shame on the guys,” Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. “That’s the way I look at it. We know who we’re playing. We may not know every place in the standings of every team. Most players don’t. But understanding the value of divisional points and coming out ready to play, it’s disappointing.”

 

Takeaway

 

Logan Thompson ended the night with 33 saves, and Vegas forward William Carrier had an undisclosed injury in the third period.

 

On Monday, the Golden Knights will remain at The Fortress as they take on the Dallas Stars at T-Mobile Arena. They are scheduled to drop the puck at 3:00 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.