The Vegas Golden Knights lose an overtime thriller to the Seattle Kraken
Not all losses are the same. That's what the Vegas Golden Knights learned on Friday against the Seattle Kraken.
They say not everything is created equal, whether it's pizza slices or losing a hockey game. Sometimes, a loss can be a good thing. It provides lessons to carry over to the next game. It also builds character as a team progresses towards winning the Stanley Cup.
The Vegas Golden Knights are a perfect example of this. They lost an overtime thriller to the Seattle Kraken, 4-3, on Friday. Jared McCann scored on a breakaway goal to get the Kraken a second point. Brandon Tanev also chipped in two goals on the night, giving Seattle much-needed offense.
It was a "turbo-charged" night as the Kraken improved to 6-8-1 on the season. They moved up to 13 points, snapping a four-game losing streak. The Golden Knights ended up gaining a point from the affair on a late Alex Pietrangelo goal, putting them solely in first place.
Sure, the loss stings from a Golden Knights perspective. It's never fun squandering another point in an NHL game. That's especially true when you found yourself down by a goal in the third period. However, like many things in life, there's a silver lining to this.
For example, Jack Eichel was, well, Eichel. The superstar center had assists on all three Golden Knights goals. He continued making his case as one of the league's biggest stars, giving the Golden Knights a crucial point. However, there are three main takeaways (all positive!) that fans can look at for this game.
Nicolas Roy looked comfortable on the top line
Mark Stone looked uncomfortable scoring his empty-net goal on Wednesday against the Edmonton Oilers. It turns out he's day-to-day with a lower-body injury (cue the LTIR people with their battle cries).
Still, that didn't stop Nicolas Roy from having a productive game for the Vegas Golden Knights. He scored a goal and added a power play assist, filling in nicely for the injured Captain. The forward showed his ability to adapt to any unit, making him a reliable lineup piece.
Part of that goes to Jack Eichel being the centerpiece. He makes everyone on his line substantially better, whether it was Jonathan Marchessault last season (42 goals) or Stone. Take this first-period goal as a shining example of Eichel's hockey acumen.
Nicolas Roy makes it 2-0 for the Golden Knights. ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/0rfOtPpQPs
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 9, 2024
Roy hangs around Joey Daccord's stick side, where the Seattle Kraken are paying no attention to the forward. Eichel feeds Ivan Barbashev, who finds Roy for the tic-tac-toe goal.
Last season, the Quebec native showed flashes of brilliance while playing on the top unit. Part of that can be attested to having Eichel as the center. However, Roy's showing his versatility in other parts, whether at center or on the wing.
The Vegas Golden Knights had a great two-game road trip
Sure, losing in overtime to the Seattle Kraken hurts. That's especially true when you silenced the crowd in the third period with a game-tying goal with 1:22 left. Losses like that feel like the "one that got away."
However, that's not the case here. The Golden Knights salvaged a point, giving them three total in a two-game swing. That's much better than exiting with only two, especially after an emotionally charged win against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday.
The Golden Knights head back to T-Mobile Arena with 20 points and the Pacific Division lead. They're facing tougher competition on Monday with the Metropolitan Division leaders, the Carolina Hurricanes, coming to town.
After that is another two-game road swing starting on November 13. This time, it involves the Anaheim Ducks and Utah Hockey Club, two teams who are beatable on the road. Confidence builders always help an NHL team, especially when you've lost your first four road games.
Therefore, taking three points out of a possible four on a two-game swing in the northwest is much better than it sounds. It builds confidence in the Golden Knights and helps them develop a style. It seems crashing the net and going after the goaltender more is that style, which could help them become a better team overall.
The Golden Knights are still playing red-hot hockey
Bruce Cassidy has done an excellent job preparing his teams to start the season. The Vegas Golden Knights have started the last two seasons hot, 13-2-0 and 11-0-1, respectively. It's led to a total of 49 points in both seasons combined.
This season is no different, with the Golden Knights at 9-3-2 and in first place in the Pacific Division with 20 points. In fact, Vegas has earned a point in seven of their last eight games. Of course, it's due to the home cooking they've enjoyed, going 5-0-0 during that span.
However, it's finding ways to win, regardless of how ugly the result might be. A couple good examples are Vegas's games against the Ottawa Senators (October 25) and Edmonton Oilers (November 6). Both contests saw the Golden Knights pounce on power play opportunities to tie the game.
These led to late offensive onslaughts that earned four points combined. It shows Cassidy and the Golden Knights can find ways to win when faced with adversity. That's part of how they've earned first place in the Pacific Division to start the season. Teams who will their way to victory will always come out on top, especially with an excellent head coach at the helm.
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