Thrilling Matchup at T-Mobile Arena
In a thrilling matchup at T-Mobile Arena, the Vegas Golden Knights nearly pulled off a comeback against the Anaheim Ducks, only to fall short with a score of 4-3 in overtime. This victory marked a significant turnaround for Anaheim (10-3-1), who had been on a four-game losing streak against the Knights (7-3-4) after losing all their prior meetings in the season before. With the win, the Ducks have not only halted their slump but also extended their winning streak to six games, putting them firmly atop the Pacific Division, three points ahead of both Vegas and Seattle.
Resilience of the Golden Knights
Despite trailing 3-1 after two periods, the Knights showed resilience in the third frame. Pavel Dorofeyev kickstarted the comeback less than four minutes into the period with a power-play goal. After securing the puck in the right circle following a faceoff, he skated into the slot and unleashed a shot that beat Ducks goaltender Petr Mrazek. Just over five minutes later, Kaedan Korczak managed to tie the game by scoring from the same spot as Dorofeyev, sending a precise shot past Mrazek and a trio of defenders.
Earlier in the game, Brett Howden had given the Golden Knights an early lead, finishing off a brilliant setup from William Karlsson. However, Anaheim quickly responded; Leo Carlsson‘s impressive two-goal performance in the second period propelled the Ducks to a 3-1 advantage, with Frank Vatrano also contributing to the scoreline.
Game-Winning Goal and Player Performances
Vegas’s hopes were dashed when Jacob Trouba netted the game-winning goal with just 32 seconds remaining in the overtime period. Golden Knights netminder Akira Schmid recorded 25 saves throughout the game, while Mrazek made a commendable 36 stops for Anaheim.
One notable absence was that of William Karlsson, who left the game early due to a lower-body injury after playing only 5:03 in the first period. Coach Bruce Cassidy did not provide an update on Karlsson’s status, saying he would wait for further evaluations.
Reflections and Future Outlook
Reflecting on the game, Howden expressed optimism regarding the team’s performance in the third period, while also acknowledging that there were aspects of their play that needed improvement.
“I think our third period was encouraging. They’re a good team, they’re playing well. But I think a lot of it is on us, too. It wasn’t our kind of hockey,”
he remarked.
The Knights have struggled on the power play recently, holding a disappointing 3-for-26 success rate over the past eight games, which had contributed to their difficulties. However, Dorofeyev’s successful score brought some much-needed momentum back to the squad. Cassidy noted the importance of getting the power play correlation back on track.
Defensively, Brayden McNabb continued to solidify his presence on the ice, leading the league with 47 blocked shots this season, adding to his franchise record of 1,322. He has also participated in an impressive 274 consecutive games and is on track to become the first player in Golden Knights history to reach 600 games with the club.
Looking ahead, the Golden Knights will attempt to bounce back from this close defeat when they face off against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, in their next home game, continuing a six-game homestand.
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