Vegas Golden Knights at Utah” class=”w-full rounded-md”/>November 15, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, United States; Vegas Golden Knights left wing Tanner Pearson (70) shoots as Utah Hockey Club defenseman Juuso Valimaki (4) chases him during the third period at the Delta Center. Mandatory credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images Due to the current NHL schedule, the Utah Hockey Club and the Vegas Golden Knights will play each other for the third time in November and also for the last time in the regular season on Saturday night in Las Vegas.
The Pacific Division-leading Golden Knights have won both of their first two meetings with their new neighbors. Vegas won the first contest 4-3 on Nov. 2 on home ice on Brett Howden’s overtime goal, then rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the second period 13 days later in Salt Lake City to win 4-2 to pull out.
The two teams will play the second game of a back-to-back on Saturday.
Vegas, behind two goals from Howden and Ivan Barbashev, defeated NHL points leader Winnipeg 4-3 on Friday night while Utah earned a point against the Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers with a 4 overtime loss -3.
Howden grabbed William Karlsson’s cross from the left post with 4:05 left for the game-winner as the Golden Knights improved to 9-2-0 at home last season.
The contest came just one day after Vegas returned from a five-game season-long road trip that included stops in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Philadelphia and Wednesday in Denver against Colorado. The Golden Knights, however, showed no signs of jet lag in one of their best home performances of the season.
“We’ve been away from home for a long time,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. “I think our guys are excited to get back here playing. I liked our energy. I thought we played very well coming off the road.”
“We’ve been playing well,” said Karlsson, who played in his 700th career NHL game. “Long road trip and coming home for a back-to-back. I think we looked pretty good (Friday) and hopefully we can come out the same way (Saturday ).”
Vegas next hosts the Oilers on Tuesday, providing a short break.
Utah, despite blowing a 2-0 lead in the first period, managed to pick up a point against the Oilers on Friday night, thanks to a Lawson Crouse goal early in the third period that tied the score at 3-3. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins won it at 1:18 of overtime with a go-ahead goal, beating Karel Vejmelka on his blocking team.
Edmonton scored three times in the second period, including power-play goals by Leon Draisaitl and skipper Connor McDavid, to take a 3-2 lead before Crouse scored his first goal since Oct. 24 in a loss to Colorado to connect.
“Finally,” Crouse replied when asked how he scored his fourth goal of the season. “I think it just speaks volumes to our character in our room, and there is no quit in our team. We went straight to the end.”
This was Utah’s fifth loss in the last seven games (2-4-1).
“Take the positives from this, move on and get ready for a big game tomorrow,” Crouse said. “We’ve got to move quickly here. The goal is to come away with two points, not one.”
–Field Level Media
2024-12-01 02:27:00
#Deadspin #Knights #Utah #ended #season #series #early
## NHL Rivalry Brewing? golden Knights and Utah Hockey Club Face Off Again
**World Today News**: We’re joined today by **[Name]**, a respected hockey analyst with years of experience covering the NHL.Welcome to World Today News!
**[Name]**: Thanks for having me!
**WTN**: This Saturday, the Vegas Golden Knights and the Utah Hockey Club meet for the third time this month, with Vegas winning both previous encounters.How significant is this matchup in the context of the NHL season?
**[Name]**: It’s definitely an intriguing matchup. While the Golden Knights are dominating the Pacific Division, it’s still early in the season. These frequent meetings against a new rival like the Utah Hockey Club are valuable opportunities for Vegas to build momentum and solidify their strategy. For Utah, it’s a chance to prove they belong and learn from playing against a top-tier team.
**WTN**: Vegas has shown resilience, coming back from a two-goal deficit in their last game against utah. What does this tell us about the Golden knights’ character?
**[Name]**: It shows they have grit,determination,and a belief in their system. Even when facing adversity, they found a way to regroup and execute, which is a hallmark of accomplished teams. It’s also a testament to their strong coaching and leadership.
**WTN**: Conversely, Utah showed strong initial performance in the last game. Could this be a sign of things to come for this expansion team?
**[Name]**: Definitely. Utah demonstrated they have the potential to compete at this level. They were aggressive early on,put pressure on Vegas,and showed glimpses of their offensive capabilities. While they didn’t secure the win, it was a positive step for a young team finding its footing in the league.
**WTN**: With this being the third meeting in a short span,do we see a rivalry naturally forming between these two Pacific Division teams?
**[Name]**: It’s certainly possible. Proximity plays a big role, and the schedule has forced frequent matchups early on. The intensity and competitiveness are already there. As these teams play more, the familiarity breeds intensity, and rivalries tend to develop organically.
**WTN**: Looking ahead, what are your expectations for this match-up?
**[Name]**: It will be another tightly contested game. Both teams will be looking to prove themselves. Vegas wants to maintain its dominance, while Utah will be hungry for revenge and a chance to show they can handle the pressure. I wouldn’t be surprised if it comes down to the wire again.
**WTN**: Thank you so much for your insightful analysis, [Name]. We appreciate your time and expertise.
**[Name]**: My pleasure. It’s always exciting to see new rivalries emerge in the NHL.
**WTN**: And this one is definitely worth watching!
