Vegas Hockey Knight
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Vegas Golden Knights miss out on history with tough loss to Kings

By Andrew Steele-Davis

Calvin Petersen #40 of the Los Angeles Kings blocks a shot by Tomas Nosek #92 of the Vegas Golden Knights. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Calvin Petersen #40 of the Los Angeles Kings blocks a shot by Tomas Nosek #92 of the Vegas Golden Knights. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 01: Calvin Petersen #40 of the Los Angeles Kings blocks a shot by Tomas Nosek #92 of the Vegas Golden Knights as Drew Doughty #8 of the Kings defends in the first period of their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 1, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Kings defeated the Golden Knights 4-1. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 01: Calvin Petersen #40 of the Los Angeles Kings blocks a shot by Tomas Nosek #92 of the Vegas Golden Knights as Drew Doughty #8 of the Kings defends in the first period of their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 1, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Kings defeated the Golden Knights 4-1. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

It wasn’t a happy homecoming for Alec Martinez after the Vegas Golden Knights were dealt a tough 4-1 loss by the LA Kings at T-Mobile Arena on Sunday.

In what was his first game back in Los Angeles since his trade to the Vegas Golden Knights, Martinez was unable to help his new team beat the team that he had started his NHL career with.

And it was an opportunity lost for the Golden Knights who missed out on the chance to set a new franchise record by winning nine straight games.

Instead, Vegas lost to a divisional rival and a rebuilding one at that on what was a tough night all round.

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In what was the first game of the final full month of the 2019-20 regular season, the Golden Knights fell behind early and never quite recovered.

Anze Kopitar beat Marc-Andre Fleury with a short-side snipe following good work from Alex Iafallo behind the net, before Kopitar extended the lead for the Kings after backhanding home a shot on the rebound.

It only got worse for the Golden Knights in the second period as Trevor Lewis spun Nick Holden before wristing an unstoppable shot past Fleury to cap off a beautiful move.

Shea Theodore did make it a two-goal game midway through the period to hand Vegas a glimmer of hope, picking up an attempted clearing pass before unleashing a hell of a shot beyond Calvin Petersen.

Petersen, however, had been unstoppable all night as he saved 42 of the 43 shots flung in his direction.

And Iafallo iced the game in the waning seconds of the second period after tapping home a loose puck in the crease.

It was a stinker of a game for the Vegas Golden Knights who missed out on the chance to tighten their grip on the Pacific Division.

Let’s go over some stats from the game…

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