Golden Knights go down in Flames in return home

The Golden Knights closed out their season series against the Flames and it ended up being a third period rout that gave the Flames a 7-2 win and more importantly a step closer to getting back into the Wild Card race. Tyler Toffoli and Blake Coleman both scored two goals each for the Flames, who scored five unanswered goals in the game. It was the first game back home for the Golden Knights after completing a five game, 4-1 road trip.

Flames and Golden Knights get physical in the first

The first shot of the game came off the stick of Alex Pietrangelo with 17:24 left in the opening period. Two minutes later, Nikita Zadorov launched a massive hit against Ivan Barbashev. The Flames didn’t get their first shot against Quick until Mikael Backlund got one after the six minute mark. After the 10 minute mark, the two teams combined for 15 hits.

Brayden McNabb got a solid wrist shot on Jacob Markstrom with 8:05 left and then got a rebound that smacked the crosssbar just two seconds later. Paul Cotter on the next shift deflected a blue line shot from Zach Whitecloud that Markstrom shut down. Off a faceoff, Mackenzie Weegar got his second goal of the season to put the Flames up 1-0 with 4:54 left in the period.

A minute and a half later, Cotter and Zadorov went flying on the ice after a massive hit that resembled a double clothesline in the WWE. With 26 sseconds remaining in the period, Nick Ritchie would get called for interference on Reilly Smith giving the Golden Knights the first power play of the game.

Flames 1, Golden Knights 0 – 1st Intermission

The Breakdown…

The two teams combined for 28 total hits. The period is one of the more physical one since their game against the Lightning. The good news is that the Golden Knights are playing quite well despite being down 1-0 on the scoreboard. They have also blocked nine shots in the period. Continue playing like they are and the puck will eventually fall into the net.

Smith, Whitecloud keep Vegas in the hunt

The Golden Knights started the second period on the power play that was carried over from the first and Shea Theodore got a solid shot on Markstrom with just 49 seconds gone by in the middle period. Dorofeyev nearly got one in right off the initial face off. Chandler Stephenson gave a puck away which led to a Tyler Toffoli goal just 3:39 in. It was Toffoli’s 27th of the season and it gave the Flames a 2-0 lead in the game.

With 15:54 left, Cotter and Troy Stetcher exchanged a few blows in a mid-ice fight giving both a five minute trip into the kitty litter box. A minute and half later, Toffoli got called for tripping on Karlsson giving the Golden Knights their second power play of the night. Jack Eichel got off a shot early in the man advantage. Quick would make a spectacular save on Dillon Dube in the closing seconds of the power play. Dube would soon strike a couple more times a minute after the power play ended.

Zach Whitecloud scored on a rocket shot the get the Golden Knights to within one with 7:27 left in the period. It is Whitecloud’s third goal of the season. Reilly Smith got a shot that went over the net with 4:31 left and then Pietrangelo recovered the shot that Markstrstom stopped but Karlsson recovered it and Smith launched it in for a game-tying goal. It is Smith’s 23rd goal of the season. A minute and change later, the Flames would retake the lead on a Blake Coleman goal.

Flames 3, Golden Knights 2 – 2nd Intermission

The Breakdown…

The Golden Knights are keeping pace with the Flames in the second and got a pair of goals before the Flames retook the lead. As for the play, the Golden Knights are playing like they have a chip on their shoulder. The defense needs to shore up some issues with allowing the Flames too many opportunities but the offense is doing its part.

Golden Knights go down in Flames

In the first two minutes, both teams skated at a fast pace and exchanged shots on goal. With 15:46 left, Weegar was called for delay of game, giving the Golden Knights their third power play of the game. As the power play ended, Karlsson nearly got one in but Markstrom was able to make the stop.

After a referee powwow, the Flames got a power play courtesy of a Howden high sticking call with 12:27 left. Karlsson nearly dumped a tying goal in within seconds of the power play starting. Backlund would then get a goal with 11:20 left to put the Flames up two goals. It was Backlund’s 17th of the season.

With 6:44 left, Toffoli would get his second goal of the night off a rebound to put the Flames up 5-2. Seconds later Coleman is called for holding on Alec Martinez, giving the Golden Knights a third power play. At the five minute mark, Bruce Cassidy would call a timeout and Quick would exit the ice. An empty net goal by Coleman was scored after the power play was over making it a 6-2 score. Dube cornered another puck a minute and half later to make it 7-2 Calgary.  Martinez, with 2:49 left was called for tripping, giving Calgary another power play.

Flames 7, Golden Knights 2 – Final

Game Notes

• The Golden Knights loss drops them to 42-21-6 with 90 points. The remain atop the Pacific Division with just a one point cushion on the Los Angeles Kings.
• The 7-2 loss, is the first loss for Jonathan Quick in a Golden Knights uniform.
• Looking ahead, the Golden Knights will face the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday at 7:00p ET/4:00p PT at the Fortress in Vegas.
• If the season ended after Wednesday’s action, the Golden Knights would draw the Winnipeg Jets in the first round of the playoffs while the Dallas Stars would get the Seattle Kraken.

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