Golden Knights left wing Max Pacioretty, right, celebrates with center Paul Stastny (26) after scoring against the Dallas Stars during the third period at T-Mobile Arena Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019. The Golden Knights beat the Stars 4-1.
Published Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019 | 12:44 p.m.
Updated Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019 | 9:48 p.m.
The Golden Knights dominated the third period of Tuesday's game, and finally got rewarded late.
Max Pacioretty tried a centering pass from behind the Dallas net in the trapezoid, and it bounced off forward Tyler Seguin and into the net, giving the Golden Knights a 4-1 home win over the Stars on Tuesday.
It was Pacioretty's second of the game and 20th of the season.
The Golden Knights finished with a 48-24 advantage in shots on goal, including a 21-1 edge in the third period.
Nate Schmidt added an empty net goal with 2:03 remaining, and Brayden McNabb added another with 1:01 to go.
Vegas had a terrific opportunity 6:15 into the third when Blake Comeau joined Jason Spezza in the Dallas penalty box, giving the Golden Knights 1:37 of 5-on-3 power-play time. They spat out five forwards for the entire time and managed six shots on goal, but none into the net.
The best of the six shots was off the stick of Marchessault. Stationed to the right of Bishop, Marchessault took a cross-ice pass from Pacioretty and fired on what looked like an open net. Bishop slid all the way across the crease to get a pad on the shot and make a highlight-reel save.
Golden Knights tie it in second
The Stars scored on the power play in the first, so the Golden Knights decided to do the same in the second.
Vegas made the most of its first opportunity of the game with an extra man to even the game after two periods, 1-1.
The new-and-improved power play got its first look just past the game's halfway point, and cashed in to even the game
New addition Mark Stone took the ice with the first unit, but it was Max Pacioretty on the second that got it done. He took a Nate Schmidt feed, walked to the right faceoff dot and sniped a goal that pinballed around the net past an Alex Tuch screen at 11:48.
It was his 19th goal of the season and Schmidt's 16th assist.
Vegas also killed a Dallas power play, and held a 27-23 edge in shots on goal.
Stars nab first-period lead
The Golden Knights looked strong at 5-on-5 in the first period, but the Dallas Stars converted on the period's only power play and Vegas trailed 1-0 after the frame.
The 5-foot, 9-inch Jonathan Marchessault may not look like a fighter, but he wasn't going to take Dallas' Radek Faksa plowing into Marc-Andre Fleury laying down. He plastered him from behind and got into a wrestling match, drawing a penalty and a "Marchy, Marchy" chant throughout the arena.
On the ensuing power play, Dallas capitalized. There was a load of activity in front of Fleury, and Roope Hintz cleaned up the garbage to give the Stars a 1-0 lead at 11:13. The Golden Knights challenged for goalie interference, but the call stood.
The Golden Knights had the first six shots of the period, but the Stars even the total at 14 by the end of the period.
Pre-game
Mark Stone wanted to skate this morning with the Golden Knights, debuting with his new team ahead of today's 7 p.m. game against the Dallas Stars.
There was just one problem. The luggage with his equipment hadn’t arrived yet.
"It's supposed to be here by 12:30 so if all goes well, I'll have all my gear by then," Stone said.
Stone met with the Las Vegas media for the first time this morning with a genuine excitement to becoming one of the faces of a team that didn’t exist two years ago. He has reportedly agreed to an eight-year, $76 million contract, one that he signed minutes after learning of his trade.
“I think I had an understanding it wasn’t going to work out in Ottawa a couple of days ago, and these guys were at the top of my list," Stone said. "Not only the atmosphere, the fans, the city, but the team they’re putting on the ice. ... There are so many things that go into a decision, and it checks all the boxes here."
Golden Knights Coach Gerard Gallant said Stone will play on a line with Paul Stastny and Max Pacioretty tonight, as well as factoring in on the power play. Gallant didn't commit to the lines longterm, but said he likes the thought of his three veterans together.
Ryan Carpenter will also be activated from injured reserve before tonight's game and play alongside Alex Tuch and Cody Eakin.
"When you put your lines up, you're throwing things around, and I just think there's three guys with a lot of skill, a lot of talent there and hopefully it will be the good makeup of a line," Gallant said. "We'll see how it goes tonight."
Stone has never played for any other team than the Senators but has ties to the Golden Knights. He played with Eakin and Ryan Reaves growing up, and Assistant General Manager Kelly McCrimmon was with him in juniors.
Stone said it was tough to leave Ottawa but is excited to join a team in a playoff hunt.
"Ottawa was the only thing I ever knew. I enjoyed my eight years since I was drafted there. They treated me so well, so obviously yesterday was a tough day for me and my family and my girlfriend and all the close people that I've met, not only through hockey but in the city," he said. "This team is looking to win right now, and I can't complain about that."
Emerson's Prediction: Golden Knights 5, Stars 2
Season record for predictions: Keefer 5-5, Emerson 16-8
TV: AT&T Sports Net (DirecTV 684, Cox 1313, CenturyLink 1760)
Radio: Fox Sports 1340 AM and 98.9 FM
Betting line: Golden Knights minus-210, Stars plus-175; over/under: 5.5 (minus-115, minus-105)
Golden Knights (32-26-5) (17-10-4 home), third place, Pacific Division
Coach: Gerard Gallant (second season)
Points leader: Mark Stone (62)
Goals leader: Mark Stone (28)
Assists leader: Mark Stone (34)
Expected goalie: Marc-Andre Fleury (2.64 gaa, .907 save percentage)
Stars (36-20-4) (15-13-0 road), fourth place, Central Division; first place, Wild Card
Coach: Jim Montgomery (first season)
Points leader: Tyler Seguin (58)
Goals leaders: Tyler Seguin (26)
Assists leader: Alexander Radulov, Tyler Seguin (32)
Expected goalie: Ben Bishop (2.29 gaa, .924 save percentage)
Golden Knights expected lineup
Forwards
Jonathan Marchessault, William Karlsson, Reilly Smith, Max Pacioretty, Paul Stastny, Mark Stone, Ryan Carpenter, Cody Eakin, Alex Tuch, Tomas Nosek, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Ryan Reaves
Defensemen
Brayden McNabb, Nate Schmidt, Shea Theodore, Deryk Engelland, Jon Merrill, Colin Miller
Goalies
Marc-Andre Fleury, Malcolm Subban
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