Edmonton Oilers left wing Zach Hyman (18) scores a goal past Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner (90) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Chase Stevens)
Published Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021 | 2 a.m.
Updated Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021 | 6:44 p.m.
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The Golden Knights trailed by three goals at one point in the second period. They started their climb back soon after, brought the game within one in the third period, then ran out of time.
Vegas managed one goal in a dominant third period against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, but needed two. The Golden Knights spent nearly the entire period in the Oilers zone but never found the equalizer, falling 3-2 in a fast-paced game at T-Mobile Arena.
It was Vegas' second loss in last eight home games this season.
Down 3-1 entering the period, Vegas had 11 of the first 13 shots of the period, keeping the Oilers from extending their lead by hardly letting them in the zone. The Golden Knights had a couple of chances early, then cashed in when a scrum in front of the net saw the puck kick out to Jonathan Marchessault, and he whacked it off Reilly Smith and into the goal at 4:04 of the period.
Vegas finished with a 12-5 edge in shots for the period, and pulled goalie Robin Lehner for an extra attacker with 2:35 to go in the third, but never found the goal it needed.
The game started well for the Golden Knights, but started to unravel toward the end of the first period. A pair off odd-man rushes — one a 2-on-1 and the other breakaway — put Edmonton on the board. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman were both the beneficiaries of outlet passes from Vegas turnovers and they didn't miss their chances, each scoring to give Edmonton a 2-0 lead after a period.
In the second period both sides traded breakaway chances. Jesse Puljujarvi scored on his chance for the Oilers before Chandler Stephenson buried his for the Golden Knights, and a game which saw end-to-end chances had Edmonton up 3-1 entering the third period.
Vegas finished with a 38-30 led in shots, the second time this year the Golden Knights lost to Edmonton at T-Mobile Arena while outshooting them. They will go to Edmonton in January, and again in April.
Golden Knights down a pair of goals to Oilers entering third period
The Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers traded breakaway goals in the second period, but with the Oilers leading entering the frame, they maintained their two-goal advantage, and Vegas trailed 3-1 after the second period at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday.
The Golden Knights continued to be stifled by Edmonton goalie Mikko Koskinen, who after a tremendous first period kept it going in the second. He first stopped Evgenii Dadonov on the doorstep, then lost his stick and made two more saves. That gave him 21 saves on the night to that point.
Right after Koskinen's heroics, the Oilers extended their lead courtesy of another breakaway. They scored two rush goals in the first and added another in the third when Jesse Puljujarvi snuck behind the Vegas defense. He collected Evan Bouchard's long-distance pass and went in on Robin Lehner alone, beating him five-hole at 6:39 to put Edmonton up 3-0.
Vegas showed why it's a dangerous rush team soon after. Mark Stone found a streaking Chandler Stephenson in the neutral zone and the Golden Knights' leading scorer did the rest. He out-raced the Edmonton defenders through the center of the ice, then offered a back-hander at the net that Koskinen couldn't get to in time.
It was Stephenson's eighth goal and team-best 20th point of the season, and brought Vegas to within two goals at 3-1 with 9:10 to go in the second period.
Vegas took over the advantage in shots on goal after two, 26-25.
2 late goals put Golden Knights behind Oilers after first period
The first period will go down as a frustrating one for the Golden Knights, who were robed twice by the Oilers goalie and were punished by two mistakes they made.
Vegas rained shots at the Edmonton net early on, but Mikko Koskinen was on his game, and the Oilers scored twice in the final minutes to grab a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday.
The Golden Knights started the period well, and even had the first power play of the game — and with Max Pacioretty back on the team it looked dangerous. They didn't score, but moved the puck well and Pacioretty fired six shot attempts during the two minutes in which the first unit spent almost the entirety of on the ice. Through 11 minutes, Pacioretty had nine shot attempts, though just two on goal.
Vegas couldn't score though, which opened the door for Edmonton to start to push. Trailing 9-3 in shots on goal at one point, the Oilers had 13 of the next 18 shots, including two goals on Vegas turnovers.
The first was when Tyson Barrie intercepted a Pacioretty pass in the defensive zone and quickly sprung Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for a 2-on--1 with Jesse Puljujarvi. Nugent-Hopkins kept it himself and fired it into the net for his second of the season, but his 20th point in 20 games for Edmonton.
With 16 seconds left in the period, Edmonton got another. Mark Stone turned the puck over in the attacking zone, leading to a Zach Hyman breakaway. Stone tried to keep up with the Oilers forward but was a step behind and cound't bat him off the puck, and Hyman beat Robin Lehner for the second of the game.
Edmonton led in shots on goal 16-14 in the first period.
Golden Knights host Oilers in key Pacific Division showdown
There’s an axiom in the NHL about how important the Thanksgiving holiday is in regard to the playoff race. Teams in a playoff spot on the fourth Thursday in November often turn out to be the ones who make it when the postseason rolls around.
That’s important for the Golden Knights, who feasted on turkey and mashed potatoes sitting in third place in the Pacific Division, with a three-point cushion for a playoff position.
For a team as injured as Vegas has been this season, it’s encouraging to know how they can play when not at full strength.
And as they look forward to a Pacific Division showdown with the Edmonton Oilers tonight, the Golden Knights are not only in a playoff spot but starting to fully power up as players return to the lineup.
“I’m really happy and proud of the group with where we’re at,” Vegas coach Pete DeBoer said. “The league has an ability to bury you in a deep hole if you don’t handle it the right way, and I think our group has handled it the right way.”
The Oilers come to town tonight four points ahead of Vegas, starting a pivotal stretch of games for the Golden Knights. Between now and next weekend, Vegas plays the Oilers, Ducks and Flames, all of whom are in the thick of the divisional race (there’s also a game with the last-place Coyotes, who relocated to the Central Division this year).
Vegas lost to the Oilers in their last meeting a month ago, but the Golden Knights have reinforcements this time. Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty were injured the last time around, and Zach Whitecloud left that game with an injury. All are expected to play tonight, as is Jonathan Marchessault, who missed the last five games in COVID-19 protocol.
“For a long time, it felt like we were losing guys left, right and center,” defenseman Shea Theodore said. “To have some guys come back in, put some energy into our lineup, I think that’s a good sign for our group.”
Pacioretty made his return in Wednesday’s victory against Nashville, registering an assist and five shot attempts. He said Thursday he’s feeling back to normal after missing 17 games with a broken foot.
He reunited with Stone and Chandler Stephenson atop the Golden Knights’ top line, a welcome sight for a team ravaged with injuries. Vegas’ most productive trio had returned, and if the Golden Knights could go 12-8-0 and sit in a playoff spot without them, it’s exciting to think what they can do with them in the remaining 62 games.
“The key now, when we do get everyone back, is not just sit back on our heels and say that we have our lineup and we just deserve wins,” Pacioretty said. “No, we’ve got to keep that same mentality.”
That starts tonight with Edmonton, which started the year 14-5-0 behind two historic starts from Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
The standings will be in flux all year as teams leap-frog each other, but if the Thanksgiving standings played out to the end as they do more often than you’d think, the Golden Knights would play the Oilers in the first round of the playoffs.
That’s a long way away, and between injuries and fitting Jack Eichel under the cap, who knows what the Golden Knights will look like come playoff time. But the Oilers are a legitimate contender for the Pacific Division, and Saturday’s game could prove to be an important one down the road.
Vegas isn’t fully healthy yet, but with Pacioretty and Stone back in the lineup, they’ll be more dangerous tonight than they were the last time these teams met.
“Hopefully a lot of it is in the rear-view mirror here,” DeBoer said. “We’ll see. We can start to see what our team is really about.”
TV: AT&T SportsNet (DirecTV 684, Cox 1313, CenturyLink 1760)
Radio: Fox Sports 1340 AM and 98.9 FM
Betting line: Golden Knights minus-135, Oilers plus-115; over/under: 6 (minus-105, minus-115)
Golden Knights (12-8-0, 24 points; 4th place, Pacific Division)
Coach: Pete DeBoer (third season)
Points leaders: Chandler Stephenson (19)
Goals leader: Jonathan Marchessault (9)
Assists leader: Chandler Stephenson (12)
Expected goalie: Robin Lehner (2.81 GAA, .910 save percentage)
Oilers (14-5-0, 28 points; 2mnd place, Pacific Division)
Coach: Dave Tippett (third season)
Points leader: Leon Draisaitl (40)
Goals leader: Leon Draisaitl (20)
Assists leader: Connor McDavid (22)
Expected goalie: Mikko Koskinen (2.97 GAA, .908 save percentage)
Golden Knights projected lineup
Forwards
Max Pacioretty—Chandler Stephenson—Mark Stone
Jonathan Marchessault—Nicolas Roy—Reilly Smith
William Carrier—Adam Brooks—Evgenii Dadonov
Mattias Janmark—Brett Howden—Keegan Kolesar
Defensemen
Nicolas Hague—Alex Pietrangelo
Brayden McNabb—Shea Theodore
Ben Hutton—Zach Whitecloud
Goalies
Robin Lehner, Laurent Brossoit
