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Golden Game Gist: VGK Blow 2-0 Lead, Still Win in Shootout

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1 year ago

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The Vegas Golden Knights (16-6-1, 33 points) opened a four-game road trip Monday night with a 3-2 shootout win against the Columbus Blue Jackets (7-12-1, 15 points). Paul Cotter scored the shootout game-winner after nine rounds in the shootout.

The Golden Knights are now 10-1-1 on the road and have not lost three straight games all season.

Jack Eichel left the game in the third period after a high shot by Nicolas Hague hit him in the face. He returned to the game late in the third period.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS LINEUP

Alex Pietrangelo missed the game due to personal reasons. The Golden Knights shuffled their defensive pairings as Ben Hutton slotted back in for the first time since the first game of the season.

Head coach Bruce Cassidy went back to emerging starter Logan Thompson in goal after he let in five goals against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.

Brayden McNabb played in his 600th career game, Will Carrier is 300th with the Golden Knights, and Mark Stone his 200th with the VGK.

Chandler Stephenson- Jack Eichel- Mark Stone (c)

Reilly Smith- William Karlsson- Jonathan Marchessault

Paul Cotter- Nicolas Roy- Phil Kessel

Will Carrier- Jake Leschyshyn- Keegan Kolesar

Alec Martinez- Ben Hutton

Brayden McNabb- Shea Theodore

Nicolas Hague- Zach Whitecloud

Logan Thompson/Adin Hill

FIRST PERIOD

  • The Blue Jackets, who have several key players missing from their lineup, stuck to a simple game plan. They were a dump-and-chase, get-pucks-to-the-net kind of team all night.
  • They opened up the first with some solid scoring chances as the Golden Knights had some turnovers. Trey Fix-Wolansky had a solid chance after an Alec Martinez turnover in his own zone.
  • VGK PP- Zach Whitecloud made a drive to the Blue Jackets net but was held by Johnny Gaudreau, who was called on the play. The Blue Jackets killed, and coming out of the box, Gaudreau had a breakaway chance, but at the other end of the ice, the net was off its moorings for the CBJ.
  • The Golden Knights had two chances with players tipping shots driving to the net, but neither Paul Cotter nor Keegan Kolesar was able to convert
  • CBJ PP- Alec Martinez went off for interference. A strong penalty kill by the likes of Brayden Mcnabb and William Karlsson kept the Blue Jackets off the scoreboard.
  • 1-0 GOAL- William Karlsson then scored from his back on a second-effort chance that hit a defensemen’s skate and went in. It was a hard-working, relentless goal by the Misfit Line.

  • 2-0 VGK GOAL- Just 56 seconds later, Will Carrier scored from the slot. Jake Leschyshyn provided a good screen, and Zach Whitecloud made a good pass to find Carrier for his 8th goal of the season.

SECOND PERIOD

  • Will Carrier wanted another, as he forced his way to the Blue Jackets net in the first shift of the second, only the be denied by Daniil Tarasov.
  • VGK PP- The second period started almost exactly as the Golden Knights would want. After the fourth line got some chances, a tired Vladislav Gavrikov took a penalty and got the Golden Knights on the powerplay.
  • Johnny Gaudreau had a chance, cutting into the slot and firing a backhander. This started a long shift in the offensive zone for the CBJ.
  • 2-1 CBJ GOAL- Johnny Gaudreau scored on a one-timer after this sustained offensive pressure. Gus Nyquist fed him right in the wheelhouse.
  •  Shea Theodore sprung Jake Leschyshyn on a breakaway, but Daniil Tarasov made the stop
  • CBJ PP- Keegan Kolesar hit Trey Fix-Wolansky from behind near the Blue Jackets bench. The Golden Knights had two grade-A shorthanded chances
  • Reilly Smith and William Karlsson had a two-on-one chance shorthanded but were stopped. Jack Eichel then had a break but was also denied.
  • 4-ON-4- Yegor Chinakhov slashed Eichel on his drive to the net, taking a penalty and making things four-on-four.

THIRD PERIOD

  • 16 seconds of four-on-four play started the third period, followed by a brief Golden Knights powerplay. Neither team scored.
  • Jack Eichel just got hit in the face by a Nic Hague shot and immediately rushed off the ice and into the locker room. He was bleeding from his left eye area. The forward lines were forced to shuffle as a result.
  • The Blue Jackets fanned on two grade-A chances to tie the game. Both Andrew Peeke and Jack Roslovic missed the net with yawning cages.
  • Another CBJ chance occurred with the Golden Knights having trouble breaking out the puck. Gus Nyquist was stopped by Logan Thompson.
  • 2-2 CBJ GOAL- Unable to score an insurance goal and trapped in their own defensive zone, the Golden Knights eventually scored. Johnny Gaudreau made a nice cross-ice pass to Gus Nyquist, and Boone Jenner found the rebound.
  • CBJ PP- Chandler Stephenson drew another penalty, this time on Yegor Chinakhov, with just 3:04 left in the third period. The CBJ killed the penalty, and time ran out in regulation.

OVERTIME

  • Jack Eichel and Chandler Stephenson had a few quality chances early.
  • Gustav Nyquist was stopped by Logan Thompson on a break.
  • Time ran out once more, and the Blue Jackets and Golden Knights headed to a shootout, tied at two. Both teams played in their first shootout this season.

SHOOTOUT

  • Gus Nyquist- GOAL
  • Nicolas Roy- X; hit post
  • Yegor Chinakhov- X
  • Jack Eichel- X; hit post
  • Johnny Gaudreau- X
  • Jonathan Marchessault- GOAL
  • Kent Johnson- X
  • Shea Theodore- X
  • Boone Jenner- X
  • Mark Stone- X
  • Cole Sillinger- X
  • Phil Kessel- X
  • Trey Fix-Wolansky- X
  • Paul Cotter- GOAL, Golden Knights win after seven rounds.

VHN’s Player of the Game: Brayden McNabb

Brayden McNabb, or as Lil Jon likes to call him, “Nabber, myyyyy broooo,” had a strong game Monday night. He played strong defensively, especially on the PK. In his 600th career NHL game, he also picked up his 100th career NHL assist.

Up Next: The Golden Knights will continue their road trip into December with a Thursday matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins at 4:00 p.m.

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