The Golden Knights fought back from an early deficit, but could not complete the comeback they were chasing. They trailed by 4-0 before mounting a strong push in the third period, scoring two goals and coming close to tying it up in the closing moments. Instead, Lukas Dostal stopped the shots he needed to, and the Ducks secured a 4-3 victory in their first game of the season.
The Knights had been around for nine-plus years, and they still had not managed to overcome a four-goal disadvantage to claim victory, or even earn a single point. This time, they almost succeeded. What happened instead was that they departed Las Vegas with a defeat and a fresh memory of how swiftly a match can turn against a team.
The Four-Goal Stretch
The Ducks got off to an early lead and kept building it up until the end. Their four goals arrived in just a 7:11 stretch of time, beginning with eight seconds remaining in the opening period on Bennett Sennecke’s breakaway and concluding 7:03 into the second period when Leo Carlsson found the net off a rebound after Carter Hart had turned away Cutter Gauthier, then A.J. Greer. Alex Killorn and Jeff Mallot contributed the other two scores in between.
Stone said the team cannot afford to give opponents room to operate. “Against a team like that, with their high-end players, you give them time and space, they’re going to make plays and they did,” he said. “We didn’t make it hard enough for them.”
What Went Wrong in the First Period
From the opening face-off, the Knights faced difficulty. Only one Zamboni was on hand to clear the ice between periods, down from the customary pair, a minor indication of trouble. Yet the larger issues lay within the game itself.
The defensemen found themselves out of position, with pucks that would typically land on their teammates’ sticks instead ending up in their skates or entirely missing their intended target. The execution was somewhat off, and pucks went through their sticks at times.
It took a while for the team to respond, according to Craig. He said so directly. “You never want to give up a goal late in a period,” “But it was the start of the second period that did us in.”
The Third-Period Push
The Knights refused to fold. Instead they responded with a furious third period, and the crowd of 17,619 sensed the game turning in their favor. Theodore found the net from the right faceoff circle with 15:22 left on the clock, ending Dostal’s shutout bid.
The Ducks were flagged for delay of game after a challenge for offsides was confirmed, and that penalty set up Tomas Hertl’s power play goal against Dostal, trimming the margin to 4-2 as the Knights struck twice within a 1:28 stretch. Bowman then narrowed it to 4-3 with 2:50 left on the clock, and with Hart pulled for an extra attacker, the Knights dominated the Ducks in their own zone.
Late in the game, Dostal made saves within inches of the goal line, preserving the shutout and securing a win for Anaheim in its first game of the season.
The Road Ahead
Friday’s defeat handed the Knights a division loss, and now they travel to Vancouver for Sunday’s game before heading to Seattle on Tuesday. The Canucks sit at 13, scoring goals behind only one team in the league through their first two outings.
The forward Brett Howden was singled out by “I think it’ll be good for this group to get on the road,”.
He is not concerned about a habit of falling behind carrying over into this season, Craig said. He cited last year, when the Knights spent much of their time playing catch-up, and reminded everyone that a new season has begun.
“But when you get down in a hole 4-0, you’re not going to come back very often,” Stone said.
The Difference Maker
The attempt at a comeback was genuine, and it almost paid off. What separated the two sides was a handful of inches on goaltending in the closing seconds. Dostal made late saves that kept the puck from crossing the line, while the Knights controlled the final minutes of play but could not manage the tying goal.
Though the defeat hurts, it demonstrates what this squad is capable of under pressure. When the Knights have trailed in the past, they have answered back. They will aim to do so again in Vancouver and Seattle.
The season is young, and one loss does not define it.
| Team | Goals Scored | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Vegas Golden Knights | 3 | Loss |
| Anaheim Ducks | 4 | Win |
- Bennett Sennecke scored the first goal with eight seconds left in the first period
- Leo Carlsson ended the run 7:03 into the second period
- Alex Killorn and Jeff Mallot scored in between
- Tomas Hertl scored on the power play to make it 4-2
The effort to return to contention was genuine, and it almost paid off. A margin of mere inches on a goaltending call in the closing moments kept the two teams apart.
Source material: “Knights unable to come all the way back vs. Ducks,” Yahoo Sports.
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