Karl B DeBlaker / Associated Press
Carolina Hurricanes’ Martin Necas (88) loses control of the puck as Vegas Golden Knights’ Mark Stone (61) takes it away during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022.
Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022 | 8:22 p.m.
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It’s weird to come out of a loss feeling good, but the Golden Knights can’t be too upset in the grand scheme of things after their 4-3 overtime loss tonight to the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena.
They trailed 3-1 as late as the midpoint of the third period before goals by Brett Howden and Nicolas Hague evened things up after regulation. Sometimes an overtime loss is a missed point in the standings — tonight it was a bonus point.
“It’s a little disappointing not getting the win, but a gutsy effort, good performance by our goaltender and some opportunistic goals,” captain Mark Stone said. “There’s definitely positives, especially on a back-to-back it’s tough. We could have folded the tent and accepted defeat but it was a good comeback by us.”
Had the Golden Knights been winning in the third period and lost in overtime to a poor team, it would have been a different story. But Carolina is second in the NHL in points percentage and has allowed the fewest goals per game in the league.
Nolan Patrick opened the scoring for Vegas in the second period, then set up Shea Theodore for a shot that deflected off Howden for the Golden Knights’ second goal. William Carrier made a terrific play to get the puck to Hague, who rifled home the game-tying goal with 2:20 to play.
Vegas also turned to Laurent Brossoit for the second game of the back-to-back, who returned from injury to make his first appearance since Jan. 2. He finished with 26 saves.
It wasn’t Stone or Jonathan Marchessault or Alex Pietrangelo who fueled Tuesday’s outing, but the depth players who are stepping up in times of need.
“When I look at the first half of the season I think the story has been the contributions from guys like Will Carrier and Brett Howden and Nolan Patrick, tonight on the board,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “I think that’s been the story of our season so far.
Patrick and Carrier both stood out for the Golden Knights, the former of whom registered his first two-point night with the club and the second earned ice time in the 3-on-3 overtime for the first time in his career.
Carrier has seen his role elevate the past few games, starting tonight on the top line alongside Stone and Chandler Stephenson. He not only carried the puck into the zone to start the play for Hague’s equalizer, but picked up the primary assist too with a perfect cross-ice pass.
Patrick wowed his coach and teammates with his first-period goal, getting in position to capitalize on a turnover behind the net forced by Keegan Kolesar. Patrick twirled the puck between his legs from his forehand to his back, then slid into the net for his second goal of the season.
“Any goal gives you a bit of confidence,” Patrick said. “Just trying to keep building, try to get better each game and try to contribute as much as I can.”
There were plenty of positives to take, even if the final score may disagree. The Golden Knights, who played a physically taxing game in Washington last night, gave one of the elite team’s in the league in Carolina a battle. And they managed to grab a point in the standings.
“Over a long season it’s important you find a way to get points in games like this,” DeBoer said. “Maybe you don’t deserve a point, but we hung around, our goalie was really good, we were opportunistic and got an important point in a tough situation.”
