On Friday, the Vegas Golden Knights (17-11-11) played the first of a three-game road trip against the St. Louis Blues (16-18-8). They scored first, but allowed a quick response goal and found themselves down 3-1 early in the second period. They clawed their way back into the fight, but allowed a late goal after a costly turnover and fell 4-3.
The Golden Knights struck first at 10:12 in the first period. The fourth line forced a turnover in the neutral zone, and Colton Sissons chipped it to Keegan Kolesar. Kolesar raced in behind the Blues’ defense and fired a wrister past Joel Hofer for his first goal of the year.
The Blues answered back just 27 seconds later. Alexey Toropchenko forced a turnover and broke the puck out with the help of Oskar Sundqvist and Mathieu Joseph. Joseph returned the puck to Toropchenko, who blew around Ben Hutton, drove the net, and banged in his own rebound.
In the second period, the Golden Knights outshot the Blues 13-7 and generated three high-danger scoring chances to St. Louis’ one. However, they allowed two quick goals and headed into the second intermission down a goal.
The Blues took the lead at 5:39 in the second period. Pavel Buchnevich found Justin Faulk all alone at the dot, and Faulk beat Carter Hart short-side.
The Blues tacked on another just 58 seconds later. Alexey Toropchenko won a board battle against Ben Hutton and left the puck for Oskar Sundqvist. Jaycob Megna broke up Sundqvist’s centering pass intended for Jordan Kyrou, but Sundqvist crashed the net and jammed it home.
The Golden Knights got one back at 9:10 in the second. Brett Howden intercepted Justin Faulk’s clearing attempt, moved into the slot, and got a shot off. Justin Faulk blocked Howden’s shot, but Mark Stone slammed it home from the doorstep.
Down a goal, the Golden Knights pushed in the third period. However, the Blues hunkered down defensively, holding them to just five shots on net.
Despite a struggle to generate offense, the Golden Knights found the equalizer at 8:21 in the third. Pavel Dorofeyev cut through center ice, and Braedan Bowman recovered the puck after Justin Faulk broke up Dorofeyev’s pass. Bowman chipped it ahead to Dorofeyev, who walked in and finished off a pretty move.
The Golden Knights took their foot off the gas after tying the game, and it cost them. After a sluggish third period, the Blues pulled ahead with 1:33 remaining in regulation.
Noah Hanifin lost the handle at center ice after colliding with a linesman. Jimmy Snuggerud corralled the puck and raced up ice on a 2-on-1 with Brayden Schenn. Carter Hart stopped Snuggerud’s shot, but Schenn was there to bang in the rebound.
The Golden Knights pulled Hart for the extra attacker, but their 5-on-5 offensive struggles followed them to 6-on-5. They failed to generate any real looks, and fell 4-3.
“It’s hockey, right? It’s a game of mistakes,” said head coach Bruce Cassidy postgame. “I’m not going to sit here and say we’re going to be mistake-free. But the timing of those, and where you make them, I think we can do a better job.”
