Hannah Kirkell
The Oxford English Dictionary defines ‘frustration’ as the feeling of being upset or annoyed, especially because of the inability to change or achieve something. Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy prefers not to use that particular word, but it certainly describes the team’s 4-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday.
“I’m not frustrated. I mean, you get what you deserve, right?” Cassidy lamented following the team’s 4-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. “It’s not frustration, it’s just not smart. Smart hockey for a veteran [team], we would be on our toes.”
Despite the playoff implications amidst the battle for the Pacific Division, neither team started the game with much enthusiasm. Despite an early penalty kill, the Oilers found their legs long before Vegas did. Edmonton boasted the first four shots on goal; it took the Golden Knights nearly 10 minutes to record their first.
“We didn’t have the start we wanted,” said Cassidy postgame. “Got some big saves from Adin Hill. We needed them because we weren’t good for the first 10 minutes.”
The intensity ramped up in the second period. The Golden Knights allowed four high-danger chances, but otherwise largely controlled play. They outshot the Oilers 11-4 and generated 17 scoring chances.
The Oilers broke the ice just 3:21 into the second period. Evan Bouchard danced around Brandon Saad, rolled right, drifted down to the right circle, and fired a shot on net. Adin Hill made the save, but Bouchard followed the puck and found Trent Frederic with a centering pass. Hill made two saves, but Frederic finally banged it home on the third attempt.
The Golden Knights found the equalizer at 13:09 in the second. Mitch Marner won a board battle and worked the puck back to Noah Hanifin, who was fresh from the bench. Hanifin walked the line and fired a wrister that changed directions in front of the net and beat Connor Ingram from distance.
In an uncharacteristic turn of events, the Golden Knights were outplayed in the third period. Shots were even at eight apiece, but the Oilers generated 12 scoring chances and held Vegas to five. The Golden Knights controlled just 20.16% of the expected goal share, and as Bruce Cassidy said, they got what they deserved.
The Oilers regained the lead just 2:34 into the third. Tomáš Hertl won the offensive zone draw, but Vasily Podkolzin beat a flat-footed Jeremy Lauzon to the puck. Podkolzin raced up ice, split the defense, left Lauzon and Rasmus Andersson in the dust, and moved in on Adin Hill. Podkolzin crashed the net and scored from in tight.
The Oilers doubled their lead at 11:53 in the third. Rasmus Andersson shattered his stick on the clearing attempt and was forced to drop it and defend empty-handed. The Golden Knights regained control of the puck, but Andersson’s broken stick blocked Jack Eichel’s clearing attempt. Connor McDavid corralled the puck and found Leon Draisaitl down low for a five-hole backhander.
Shea Theodore took a high-sticking penalty with 4:47 remaining in regulation. But just as all hope seemed lost, Jack Eichel put the team on his back.
The Golden Knights pulled to within one while shorthanded at 16:43 in the third period. Jack Eichel drove deep into the zone, pulled up, and was double-teamed by Evan Bouchard and Leon Draisaitl. Mitch Marner recovered the puck and found Eichel all alone at the right dot; Eichel fired it home.
Trailing by just one, the Golden Knights pulled Adin Hill for the extra attacker with 3:30 remaining in regulation. They didn’t even manage a shot on goal, and the Oilers scored the dagger at 18:03 in the third. Connor McDavid won a footrace to the puck and set up Kasperi Kapanen for the empty-netter.
“At the end of the day, the 6-on-5, like a little bit of our game, not enough urgency, right?” Cassidy lamented. “There’s a 50-50 puck. I know McDavid’s one of the fastest guys in the world, but we have a chance to at least tie up until we get help, or not allow him to exit the zone… We didn’t win that race.”
