Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Golden Knights get point against Canadiens, but ‘not good enough’

2019: Golden Knights Take on Montreal Canadiens

John Locher/AP

Montreal Canadiens left wing Jonathan Drouin (92) scores on Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019, in Las Vegas. (

Montreal Canadiens Beat Golden Knights In Overtime

Vegas Golden Knights center Cody Glass (9) celebrates a goal during the third period of a game against the Montreal Canadiens at T-Mobile Arena Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019. Launch slideshow »

One benefit of the NHL’s much-maligned points system is that the Golden Knights earned one point out of Thursday’s game.

The point is meant to soften the blow of an overtime loss, the implication being that it’s not as bad as losing in regulation. In a way that’s true, because if it weren’t for that one point then the 5-4 loss to the Montreal Canadiens would have stung even worse.

The Golden Knights had a two-goal lead deep into the third period. At the 13:33 mark it was a one-goal lead. At 18:02 it was a tie game. And 26 seconds into the overtime the Canadiens were skating off the T-Mobile Arena ice with a victory.

It was Vegas’ first overtime loss of the season, and the first time it had blown a multi-goal lead in the third period of a regular season game since Dec. 14 of last season.

“We were not good enough again tonight,” forward Jonathan Marchessault said. “It’s not good enough for our group to have a two-goal lead and not close that out in the third period.”

The vibe in the arena was pretty good through two and two-thirds periods. The Golden Knights had a 4-2 advantage, Max Pacioretty had his 500th career point, Cody Glass scored to give Vegas the lead and Marc-Andre Fleury had made enough big saves to get the home crowd chanting his name.

Then came a holding penalty. The Canadiens didn’t score on the power play but did two seconds after it ended, netting a goal off Tomas Tatar’s chest to make it 4-3. Still, nothing to fret quite yet.

Fleury was doing his thing and few thought Montreal would score the equalizer. The Canadiens pulled goalie Keith Kinkaid in hockey’s famous last-ditch effort and scored two seconds past the two-minute warning. It was another deflection, this time off the skate of Brendan Gallagher. The arena deflated, and the game was headed to overtime.

“They got some hockey luck at the end,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “Off Tatar’s body then off Gallagher’s skate, so what do you do about that, you know?”

There was no time to build the anticipation in the extra frame. Max Domi needed only 26 seconds to win it for Montreal. The last time Vegas won at home in overtime (not shootout) was Oct. 28, 2018, against Ottawa, a penalty-shot winner. The last time the Golden Knights scored at 3-on-3 at home was March 30, 2018.

“That’s the same problem we’ve had all year,” Marchessault said. “It’s our consistency. We’re not consistent and that’s why our record is not that good.”

Vegas is 8-5-1, positioned Thursday in third place in the Pacific Division. They have accumulated 17 of a possible 28 points, putting it on pace for 100 points. It’s not a bad record, but as the Golden Knights have mentioned plenty of times, they’re getting away with wins when their game is not quite there.

It’s funny how momentum in hockey swings from day to day and even period to period. Vegas was terrible Friday, awesome Monday, and on Thursday was less than seven minutes from another win and celebrating Pacioretty's milestone against the team he used to captain.

Instead, it was the bleu, blanc et rouge reveling in two points after one of their best wins of the season. And the home team was stuck with a measly point that was little consolation.

“We want two (points) and anytime you have a lead like that you want to finish off with two,” forward Cody Eakin said. “It’s a tough one. We can’t be happy with it.”

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