Hannah Kirkell
The Vegas Golden Knights have a problem: they can’t seem to play a full 60 minutes.
All season, they’ve struggled to start on time and only find their game when down by multiple goals. However, they’ve managed to scrape points from most of those efforts. In 62 games played this season, the Golden Knights have entered the third period trailing by at least one goal in exactly half of them. They boast a record of 6-16-9 in those 31 games.
These Golden Knights are nothing if not perseverant. This cardiac-comeback method is not a recipe for success; it is, however, thoroughly entertaining.
History repeated itself on Wednesday when the Golden Knights played the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena. They drew first blood, but entered the second period trailing by two goals. After an unimpressive second period, they managed to tie the game in the third. And in overtime, Tomáš Hertl scored on a power play to complete the comeback, snap a three-game losing skid, and give his team the 4-3 win.
For the first time in three games, the Golden Knights scored first on Wednesday, striking just 1:50 after puck drop. Pavel Dorofeyev forced a turnover behind the Red Wings’ net, and Mitch Marner found Reilly Smith in the left circle for a short-side snipe.
Their strong start didn’t last long. The Golden Knights didn’t manage another shot on goal for another 8:24 of play, and recorded just seven shots in the first period. The Red Wings tested Adin Hill 11 times and generated seven scoring chances.
The Red Wings found the equalizer at 5:58 in the first period. Tomáš Hertl lost his defensive assignment, and Emmitt Finnie fired off a shot from just above the right circle. Marco Kasper provided the screen, and Finnie’s shot found its way home.
The Red Wings took the lead at 15:15 in the first. Braedan Bowman picked Andrew Copp’s pocket to deny him a scoring chance, but Simon Edvinsson activated from the point and got to the puck first. Edvinsson stepped into the slot uncontested and beat Adin Hill with a sneaky wrister.
The Red Wings extended their lead just 59 seconds later. The Golden Knights tried to break the puck out, but Axel Sandin-Pellikka forced a turnover at center ice. Lucas Raymond took it the other way, entered the zone, and found Alex DeBrincat all alone in the high slot. DeBrincat fired a shot from range that beat Adin Hill far-side.
The Golden Knights played better in the second period— but not by much. They squandered their power play opportunity, but killed off the two minor penalties they took. Despite spending a good chunk of the period on the penalty kill, they managed to outshoot the Red Wings 8-6.
If you looked at the box score, you’d assume that the Golden Knights were dominant in the third period; you would be wrong. They outshot the Red Wings 8-7, but allowed 12 scoring chances and hung Adin Hill out to dry on multiple occasions. Hill, however, was up to the task and made big save after big save.
The Golden Knights pulled to within one at 11:37 in the third. Rasmus Andersson tipped Noah Hanifin’s blast from the point, and the puck found Ivan Barbashev next to the crease. Barbashev swept it home for his second consecutive game and his seventh goal in ten games.
Barbashev’s goal gave the Golden Knights life, and they finally started to string together offensive pressure. They found the equalizer with 3:24 remaining in regulation.
Mitch Marner forced a turnover, and Tomáš Hertl got to the loose puck first. Hertl worked it high for Shea Theodore, who fired off a wrister. Simon Edvinsson blocked Theodore’s shot; Hertl corralled the puck behind the net and flung a centering pass to Marner above the crease. Hertl’s pass got through, and Marner snapped a shot past Cam Talbot.
In overtime, the Golden Knights were indisputably the better team. They generated three high-danger scoring chances, one of which led to Noah Hanifin drawing a penalty.
The Golden Knights completed the comeback just 19 seconds into the ensuing power play. Mitch Marner found Tomáš Hertl next to the crease, and Hertl went post-and-in to give his team the 4-3 win.
This Golden Knights team is far from perfect. They’re inconsistent, they’re prone to defensive breakdowns, and they struggle to score in a way that such a talented team shouldn’t. And yet, despite all their shortcomings, they have a 29-19-14 record and lead the Pacific Division with 72 points.
Just imagine where they might end up if they can reach their full potential.
