Field Level Media
27 Jan 2023, 08:55 GMT+10
The Vegas Golden Knights spent most of the first half of the season leading the Pacific Division. Now their slump is creating a logjam at the top of the division.
Tied for first in the Pacific with 61 points, the Golden Knights hope two days of practice can help them avoid a third straight loss Friday night when they visit the New York Rangers.
Vegas is 2-5-1 in its past eight games and 0-1-1 on its six-game road trip. After opening the trip with a 4-1 loss to the lottery-bound Arizona Coyotes on Sunday, the Golden Knights suffered a 3-2 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday.
Coupled with the Seattle Kraken's 6-1 rout of the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday, Vegas is tied at the top of the Pacific with the second-year team, and the Kraken have played two fewer games (47). Vegas is one point ahead of the third-place Los Angeles Kings, who have played one more game and are visiting Florida on Friday night.
The Golden Knights were 66 seconds away from a regulation victory over the Devils when Dougie Hamilton's tying goal caromed in off defenseman Brayden McNabb.
Hamilton's power-play goal 3:54 into overtime won the game for New Jersey, and capped a loss in which the Golden Knights allowed two regulation goals off their own defensemen.
"We played a responsible hockey game," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. "Guys were trying to play the right way, but unfortunately two went off our guys into the net. We weren't able to overcome that."
Tuesday's loss is part of a wider slump for the Golden Knights. Buoyed by a nine-game winning streak Oct. 24-Nov. 10, they raced to a 13-2-0 start to the season but are 16-15-3 since then.
Goaltender Logan Thompson hasn't been sharp during the slump -- 8-10-1 with a .901 save percentage since mid-November.
New York is playing with a revamped lineup featuring stars Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin on the top line with Chris Kreider and a reunion of "Kid Line" of youngsters Alexis Lafreniere, Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko.
The Rangers have split their two games with the revamped lines, although in Wednesday's 3-2 overtime loss at Toronto, Kreider switched at times with Jimmy Vesey to the line with Barclay Goodrow and Vincent Trocheck. In the four games before changing the lines, the Rangers scored just seven goals.
After Zibanejad scored twice and Panarin collected three assists in Monday's 6-2 home win over the Florida Panthers, the Rangers could not protect a one-goal lead going into the third period against the Maple Leafs.
"I liked our game (against the Maple Leafs)," Gallant said. "I thought we played real well in a tough building against a real good team. I want the two points, but we'll take the one and run."
The Rangers are 15-4-3 in their past 22 games, including 8-3-0 at home since a 5-2 home loss to the league-worst Chicago Blackhawks on Dec. 3.
-- Field Level Media
Get a daily dose of Las Vegas Herald news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Las Vegas Herald.
More InformationBRUSSELS, Belgium: While chairing a meeting of EU foreign and defense ministers in Brussels this week, European Union (EU) foreign ...
BANGUI, Central African Republic: Authorities from the Central African Republic have said that nine Chinese nationals were killed and two ...
MENINDEE, Australia: After recent floods and hot weather, millions of dead fish have washed up in southeastern Australia, which authorities ...
BOISE, Idaho: Under a bill passed by the Idaho Legislature thios with a veto-proof majority, the state will allow firing ...
SACRAMENTO, California: The state of California and generic drug manufacturer Civica have announced a 10-year partnership to produce affordable, state-branded ...
CHEYENNE, Wyoming: A Wyoming bill outlawing the use or prescription of medication abortion pills, which was passed by the state's ...
PARIS, France: Amidst the mass deaths of dolphins and porpoises in recent years, France's highest administrative body has ordered the ...
MANILA, Philippines: An underwater robot from Japan has located a leaking fuel tanker, MT Princess Empress, which sank off the ...
NEW YORK, New York - A hike in official U.S. interest rates of 0.25 percent, and a jump in inflation ...
SEATTLE, Washington: In a memo to staff sent this week, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said the company plans to cut ...
DETROIT, Michigan: Due to leaking brake hoses and windshield wiper arms that can break off, Ford is recalling more than ...
NEW YORK, New York - Wall Street continued its advance on Tuesday as investors continued to weigh up the health ...