The Vegas Golden Knights had their four-game win streak snapped by the Nashville Predators on Friday night, as the visitors rallied from a 2-1 deficit with three minutes left in regulation to win 3-2 in the shootout. The Golden Knights got goals from two Swedish players, Victor Olofsson and Rasmus Andersson, while Ryan O'Reilly scored twice for Nashville before captain Roman Josi delivered the shootout winner. In goal, Adin Hill stopped 30 shots during the game before making two saves on four shootout attempts.
Win: Victor Olofsson could be the first Golden Knights player to 50 goals
Many great players have worn the Golden Knights sweater, yet none has scored 50 goals in a single season, with William Karlsson holding the franchise record at 43. On Friday against Nashville, Olofsson tallied his sixth goal of the season, and he’s only played eight games since he missed time due to injury. According to Elite Prospects, he’s on pace for 53 goals, which would break Karlsson’s record. As we've mentioned numerous times before, having a rejuvenated Olofsson in the lineup has been one of the contributing factors to the team's early success.
Sin: Ryan O'Reilly continues his reign as the Golden Knights killer
Heading into Friday's meeting, former Conn Smythe Trophy winner Ryan O'Reilly was tied with future Hall of Famer Anze Kopitar for the most goals scored against the Golden Knights. Well, not only did he break the tie, but he added an extra one for good measure. O’Reilly’s two goals gave him sole possession of the goal record against Vegas, while bumping his point total up to 34, which is now tied with Leon Draisaitl for third all-time. Adding insult to injury, O’Reilly has one of the best plus/minus totals when facing Vegas, now at plus-11.
Win: Golden Knights finally fire the puck on the net
In a rare sighting this season, the Golden Knights came out firing on all cylinders, putting up a season-high 19 first-period shots on goal. Although they only had one goal to show for it, they kept Predators goalie Juuse Saros busy. They kept the rubber on net in the second with 15 shots, giving them 34 shots before the second intermission. For perspective, Vegas only averages 29.1 shots a game, and they still had another period to play. In the third, things died down offensively for the Golden Knights, who only registered seven shots on goal. However, by the end of the game, the team finished with 42 shots, the second-highest total yet, following 43 against Toronto on Oct. 8.
Sin: Mark Stone's pursuit of franchise history stalls
In another rare statistic from Friday’s game, captain Mark Stone was held without a point for only the seventh time this season, leaving him at 416 points. He remains one point behind Jonathan Marchessault for the Golden Knights' all-time scoring record, although the former Vegas star didn't dress for Nashville because of an injury. At least the schedule features a favorable opponent on Sunday, with the last-place Vancouver Canucks coming to town.
What’s next for the Golden Knights?
Vegas is 1-0-1 on its current five-game homestand, with the Canucks visiting on Sunday. The Golden Knights wrap up this crucial stretch with two meetings against the Dallas Stars next week.
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