When your hated division rival is within one point of your lead entering Saturday's game, what do you do? Do you let your head coach down after saying your poor homestand wasn't a "one-off?" Or do you get angry and fire off a bunch of pucks?
Certainly, Victor Olofsson took that to heart after firing nine shots in the game. He understood the assignment and did his job. Shea Theodore also understood the assignment, getting three assists. That included a shot deflected by Reilly Smith for the second goal.
Plays like this unlocked core memories for Golden Knights fans. It was reminiscent of the old days, where the "Misfits" would score off deflections and rebounds.
Getting off to an aggressive start was what the doctor ordered. The Golden Knights led the Calgary Flames after the first period in the following stats:
First period stats | Golden Knights | Flames |
|---|---|---|
Shots | 12 | 7 |
High danger chances | 7 | 0 |
Chances off the rush | 4 | 0 |
But was it enough? Or did the Golden Knights fold like a table cracking from a Buffalo Bills fan?
Reilly Smith turns in a "Misfit" performance to lead the Vegas Golden Knights past the Calgary Flames
Well, the Golden Knights did get a point by going into overtime, minimizing the damage done by the pesky Kings. But Reilly Smith got two goals in the contest, including the game winner. The result? A 3-2 victory over the Flames that maintained distance in the division.
REILLY SMITH IN OVERTIME! VEGAS WINS 3-2!#VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/6UgnS32lEa
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) April 6, 2025
Pavel Dorofeyev also got a goal, making it 33 goals for the team lead. However, the Vegas Golden Knights weren't exempt from mental mistakes. It was nearly tied after two periods, with one shot being called "no goal" after not fully crossing the line.
Still, letting Joel Hanley rip a shot past Akira Schmid with eight seconds left isn't excusable. Vegas must learn to play until the horn sounds, as Vicktor Ardvisson proved on Tuesday night.
Matt Coronato scoring 43 seconds into the third period didn't help, either. It showed a Golden Knights team mentally deflated, frustrated by a Flames team with all the momentum. Two third-period penalties only made things worse.
Still, Akira Schmid held his own by stopping 21 of 23 shots. That included a late Mikael Backlund breakaway off a Shea Theodore turnover with two seconds left. His enduring play in the game was essential to Vegas walking away with two points.
Now for the ugly part of Saturday's game
Sure, Vegas walked out of Calgary with two points. But if the Golden Knights want to have some momentum heading into the Stanley Cup playoffs, they must stop being their own worst enemy.
Brayden McNabb must stop taking bad penalties in the game. The Golden Knights must not let up on offensive pressure after the first period. Shea Theodore must take care of the puck and not let Akira Schmid fend for himself on a breakaway. Most of all, they can't let themselves get inside their own head.
But for Saturday, maintaining a three-point lead in the Pacific Division is what matters. It took an "Original Misfit" to do the job and he did it. It also took four penalty kills to do the job. Sometimes, you must win ugly games to get better prizes. What was that line from Dory in Finding Nemo? Oh...
Just keep swimming, Vegas.
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