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Kessel Officially Becomes Ironman as Golden Knights Defeat Sharks

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1 year ago

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Phil Kessel, Vegas Golden Knights NHL Ironman (Photo- Vegas Golden Knights via Twitter)
Phil Kessel, Vegas Golden Knights NHL Ironman (Photo- Vegas Golden Knights via Twitter)

The Vegas Golden Knights (6-2-0, twelve points) beat their Pacific Division rival, the San Jose Sharks (2-7-0, four points), Tuesday night in San Jose by a score of 4-2.

Phil Kessel became the NHL’s ironman and scored career goal no. 400, and scored his first goal as a Golden Knight all in this game. He started the game for the Golden Knights, and with his first shift, he officially passed Keith Yandle to become the NHL’s ironman.

Kessel has played in 990 straight NHL regular season games, which is the largest amount of games in NHL history. He started this streak in Nov. of 2009 with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

No lineup changes were made outside of Adin Hill getting the start against his former team. This game was the second half of a back-to-back for the Golden Knights, their first of the season.

Just like Monday night’s game against the Maple Leafs, Kessel appropriately scored the first goal of the game. The difference was that this goal counted. He used his speed to cut past a defender and beat his former teammate James Reimer for his 400th career goal and first as a Golden Knight.

The Golden Knights dominated the first period with 14 shots in the frame. This is the most the Sharks have given up in a single period so far this season. But only putting one in the back of the net allowed the Sharks to battle back into the game in the second period.

With the VGK tired playing two games in as many nights, with travel in between, the Sharks took advantage in the second period and scored two goals. Nico Sturm scored off a deflection which was shot initially by Kevin Labanc. After the Sharks killed a Golden Knight’s penalty, they scored again.

Matt Nieto received a stretch pass from Tomas Hertl for the go-ahead goal late in the period. But the Sharks were unable to carry this momentum into the third period after they outshot the Golden Knights 15-9 in the second.

Just 55 seconds into the third, Shea Theodore scored with a simple point shot.

The Golden Knights were lively once more in the third with the Theodore goal and a chance by Chandler Stephenson, where Reimer had to make a big stop.

Scoring the Golden Knight’s third goal was William Karlsson, who danced around Erik Karlsson (no relation). The go-ahead goal came with 6:47 left in the third and was the backbreaker for the Sharks, who then let in a goal a minute later

The Shark’s defense simply collapsed in the third after the Karlsson goal and let the Golden Knight’s top line of Stephenson, Mark Stone, and Jack Eichel work in the offensive zone. Stone scored backdoor from a feed from Stephenson.

The goal horn at SAP Center went off for Stone’s goal for some reason.

Reimer went to the bench for the extra attacker with over four minutes left in the game. For the second straight night, the VGK were unable to score on the empty net despite having over four minutes to shoot for it. No goalie goal for Hill.

Nonetheless, the Golden Knights walked away with a 4-2 win over the Sharks Tuesday night. Ten different players for the Golden Knights collected points in their victory.

VHN’s Player of the Game: Phillip J. Kessel

For the first time this season, we have a player receiving back-to-back player of the game awards. I don’t think anyone else on the team, no matter how good they played, can compete with Kessel’s story.

Up Next: The Golden Knights will play against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday at a unique time. With it being Nevada Day, the Ducks and VGK will face off from T-Mobile Arena at 3:00 pm. See you there.

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