Live coverage: Third-period goals spell defeat for Golden Knights against Flyers

By Justin Emerson

Published Friday, Dec. 10, 2021 | 3:50 p.m.

Updated Friday, Dec. 10, 2021 | 9:46 p.m.

Three times in Friday's game, the Golden Knights gave up a goal early in the period. Twice they were able to tie it up. They couldn't the third time, and it ended their three-game winning streak.

The Golden Knights allowed two power-play goals to the Philadelphia Flyers in the third period and fell to 4-3 at T-Mobile Arena, ending another streak in the process. It was Philadelphia's first victory in its last 11 games.

The penalty kill again struggled for Vegas, one game after allowing three power-play goals to the Dallas Stars. The Golden Knights technically killed the first Flyers power play of the game, but that was because a Philadelphia penalty negated it after five seconds. The first and second times the Flyers had a chance to play the advantage to completion, they scored.

The first was a Sean Couturier one-timer from the top of the right circle just 17 seconds into the penalty, and the second came when James van Riemsdyk picked up a flurry in front of the net after 1:02. In total, the Golden Knights had three penalty kills totaling 1:23 of ice time.

The Golden Knights' power play struggled for much of the night, coming up empty on its first five chances (though one was just five seconds long). On their final chance of the night, a 6-on-4 try with the extra attacker, Max Pacioretty came up with his second of the night to trim the Flyers' lead to 4-3 with 1:45 to go. It was Pacioretty's ninth goal in nine games this season.

The Flyers jumped out to the lead 4:20 into the game, but William Karlsson evened the score in the final minute of the first. Philadelphia again grabbed a lead at 5:53 of the second, only for Pacioretty to score his first of the game with 90 seconds left in that frame.

Outside of special teams, the Golden Knights controlled much of the game, outshooting the Flyers 44-25.

Golden Knights, Flyers even again after two periods

The second period played out a lot like the first on Friday night. The Golden Knights gave up a goal early in the period, got it back late in the period, and went to intermission tied with the Philadelphia Flyers, this time 2-2.

The Flyers drew first blood in the second, just as they did in the first. Former Golden Knights forward Patrick Brown, who was acknowledged on the big screen at the game's first stoppage, threw the puck on net and watched it kick out to the circle. Rookie Maxwell Willman was there to put it back and into the net for the first goal of his career at 5:53 to give his team a 2-1 advantage.

The Golden Knights had a chance to even it up on the power play, after a bit of an odd play to give them the man advantage. Defebseman Brayden McNabb clobbered Philadelphia's James van Riemsdyk with a big hit at the blue line, one that was well within in the rule book. Willman took exceptio to it though and jumped on top of McNabb, drawing a roughing call and a Vegas man advantage.

The power play though, did nothing. The Golden Knights spent more time chasing the puck down the ice than setting up in the offensive zone, and there was never a threat of scoring. That is, until they returned to 5-on-5 and their hottest shooter takes over.

Alex Pietrangelo fired the puck on net and like so many goals this game, generated a rebound that led to a goal. Max Pacioretty was there to clean it up, and he buried his eighth in nine games this season, to tie the game 2-2 with 1:30 to go in the frame.

Vegas started to pull away in the shots department, leading 27-18 after two periods.

Golden Knights even with Flyers after first period

The Golden Knights and Flyers took turns finding good looks at each other's nets in the first period, and each side lit the lamp once for a 1-1 tie after 20 minutes at T-Mobile Arena on Friday night.

The Golden Knights had the first Grade-A chance of the game off the rush, as Reilly Smith fed Nicolas Hague for a redirect in front. Carter Hart made the first save, then Smith tried to put home the rebound but Rasmus Ristolainen was there to clean the puck away from danger.

The Flyers had a similar chance soon after, and didn't miss. Laurent Brossoit batted away Scott Laughton's initial offering, but couldn't get his stick all the way down to the ice on his diving attempt at Kevin Hayes' rebound, and the puck trickled into the net for a 1-0 Philadelphia lead at the 4:20 mark.

Both teams scored, but there was definitely a battle between Brossoit and Hart, who both needed to play well to keep the opposition off the board more. In the battle of teams with the most expected goals allowed this season, neither played well defensively as both sides had plenty of clean looks at the net.

The Golden Knights got their goal with 49 seconds to go thanks to a terrific bit of puck movement. Reilly Smith fed the puck from behind the net to Jonathan Marchessault, who one-timed a pass to William Karlsson for an easy back-door tap-in to tie the game.

Vegas finished with a 12-10 lead in shots on goal.

Golden Knights look to avoid 'trap game' against Flyers

Sometimes the most dangerous team is the one with nothing to lose.

The Golden Knights tonight welcome the Philadelphia Flyers, losers of their last 10 games and playing under an interim coach after dismissing Alain Vigneault earlier this week. After entering the year with high expectations, the Flyers are in a free fall, which is just why Vegas will be wary when they meet at 7 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena.

"This is as dangerous a team and as dangerous a trap game as you're going to get," Vegas coach Pete DeBoer said. "It'd be a big mistake by us to underestimate this team tonight. They're due to win a game. They haven't won, new coach, we want to make sure it's not against us."

It was just two years ago when Philadelphia earned a bye in the Eastern Conference playoff bubble, and expectations were high last season before poor goaltending cratered their season. Goalie Carter Hart, the expected starter tonight, has been quite good this season, but the Flyers' issues go well beyond a 23-year-old between the pipes.

The Flyers have allowed the most expected goals in the league at 5-on-5 this season, coughing up 2.75 per 60 minutes of play. That means even with Hart's solid .911 save percentage, the Flyers have still given up 3.33 goals per game, seventh-worst in the league.

Vegas has actually given up the second most expected goals (2.68 per 60 at 5-on-5), but the difference is the Golden Knights have been able to outslug opponents. Vegas is sixth in the league with 3.40 goals per game, while the Flyers are scoring 2.33 goals per game, fifth worst in the NHL.

"They're going to be a hungry team," Vegas defenseman Zach Whitecloud said. "It doesn't matter who you're playing in this league. Every team is incredibly good, so focus on what we can do and stick to our game."

The Golden Knights have won three in a row, but a few lineup changes are expected tonight. After coming into Wednesday's game and grabbing the win in relief, Laurent Brossoit looks slated to start in net. On the blue line, Ben Hutton took morning line rushes over Dylan Coghlan, while DeBoer announced Chandler Stephenson will miss the game due to personal reasons. Adam Brooks could be an option to replace him.

It's a change of pace for the Golden Knights, who because of injuries and cap issues have had little roster flexibility over the past two seasons. Having the option to rotate players in and out of the lineup is something DeBoer didn't have the option to do.

"With all the injuries, what we have been able to do with a couple extra guys is exactly that, is move some guys in and out, get some fresh legs in, reward guys for playing well and have guys take a step back if they slip a little bit and reset," DeBoer said.

The Golden Knights are 3-3-0 all-time against the Flyers, including just 1-2-0 at home. Vegas lost to the Flyers at home on opening night in 2018-19 then beat them in the first home game of the 2020 calendar year. Brossoit has never beaten Philadelphia, allowing six goals in two career outings.

TV: AT&T SportsNet (DirecTV 684, Cox 1313, CenturyLink 1760)

Radio: Fox Sports 1340 AM and 98.9 FM

Betting line: Golden Knights minus-250, Flyers plus-220; over/under: 6 (minus-130, plus-110)

Golden Knights (15-10-0, 30 points; 4th place, Pacific Division)

Coach: Pete DeBoer (third season)

Points leaders: Chandler Stephenson (22)

Goals leader: Jonathan Marchessault (11)

Assists leaders: Chandler Stephenson, Shea Theodore (13)

Expected goalie: Laurent Brossoit (2.41 GAA, .921 save percentage)

Flyers (8-12-4, 20 points; 7th place, Metropolitan Division)

Interim coach: Mike Yeo (first season)

Points leader: Claude Giroux (21)

Goals leaders: Cam Atkinson, Claude Giroux (9)

Assists leader: Claude Giroux (12)

Expected goalie: Carter Hart (2.90 GAA, .911 save percentage)

Golden Knights projected lineup

Forwards

Max Pacioretty—Adam Brooks—Mark Stone

Jonathan Marchessault—William Karlsson—Reilly Smith

Mattias Janmark—Nicolas Roy—Evgenii Dadonov

William Carrier—Keegan Kolesar—Michael Amadio

Defensemen

Nicolas Hague—Alex Pietrangelo

Ben Hutton—Shea Theodore

Brayden McNabb—Zach Whitecloud

Goalies

Laurent Brossoit, Robin Lehner