Connect with us

Vegas Golden Knights

Shea Theo-SCORE! Golden Knights Defeat Capitals, Remain in Playoff Race

Published

2 years ago

on

Evgenii Dadonov and Shea Theodore Vegas Golden Knights (Photo- Vegas Golden Knights via Twitter)

Shea Theodore continues to be money in overtime.

The Vegas Golden Knights (42-31-5, 89 points) defeated the Washington Capitals (43-23-11, 97 points) in overtime 4-3 Wednesday night with Theodore scoring a beautiful highlight-reel goal for the game-winner.

The Dallas Stars lost to the Edmonton Oilers earlier Wednesday, the Golden Knights are now just two points back of the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.

As always, we will break down the updated playoff outlook.

The Golden Knights created several offensive chances early in the game. Nicolas Roy was stopped by Ilya Samsonov point-blank after Keegan Kolesar set him up from behind the net. Max Pacioretty was also flying and had an impressive game as he had an obvious kick in his step.

But in typical fashion, they were unable to convert on their early chances. The Capitals scored the first goa, marking the fifth-straight game that the VGK yielded the important first goal.

Alex Ovechkin shot his patented slapshot on Lehner and it slipped through his pads. Evgeny Kuznetsov then cleaned up the loose puck in the crease for his 24th goal of the season. It was another uneasy goal from Lehner and the Capitals led 1-0. The Golden Knights then went seven minutes without a shot.

But all it took was one as the Golden Knights tied the game with a routine wrister on Samsonov. Alec Martinez skipped one on goal and it went in. A huge goal for the Golden Knights that prevented them from going down 2-0 early on in the game.

Not long after, the Capitals answered with what was initially believed to be the go-ahead goal. John Carlson scored after a quick passing play off the rush that involved Ovechkin, Tom Wilson, and Carlson.

But the goal was looked at for an offsides and deemed as such after a coach’s challenge from the Golden Knights bench. The goal was taken off the board and the game remained 1-1. Peter DeBoer and his coaching staff are now 5/5 on coach’s challenges this season.

For the first time ever, Golden Knights fans were thanking Tom Wilson.

Speaking of controversial figures in Las Vegas, Robin Lehner was benched to start the second period and Logan Thompson took over in goal. An interesting move from DeBoer and the coaching staff after Lehner’s fluke goal allowed in the first.

But on one of the Capitals’ first shots with Thompson in the net, he allowed a goal. It came right after the Golden Knights failed to register even a shot on a powerplay. Ovechkin scored for real this time as he drove home a pass from Kuznetsov on a 2-on-1.

Thompson continued to be tested throughout the second as the Golden Knights struggled to get out of their own zone. He bounced back with big saves on Ovechkin, Wilson, and Conor Sheary.

Things took a drastic change in the third period in terms of pace as the game opened up and the Golden Knights scored two goals in 49 seconds.

Evgenii Dadonov scored six-hole on Samsonov with a simple wrist shot off the wall on the rush. He now has four 20-goal seasons in the NHL.

Momentum was on the Golden Knight’s side following the Dadonov goal as they took to the powerplay with Justin Schultz going to the box. With just their second powerplay goal in their last 28 chances, the Golden Knights scored.

Chandler Stephenson re-directed a shot-pass from Pacioretty to score against his former team and the Golden Knights took the first lead of the game and first lead in the last three games.

The game opened up in the third with both teams’ defensive coverages lacking. Both Ovechkin and Stephenson got breakaway chances but failed to score.

Ovechkin accepted another stretch pass late in the third with Zach Whitecloud back this time. He scored off a wicked hard slap shot for his 50th goal of the season and tied things up at three.

Overtime was required and after an almost game-costing fall by Jack Eichel and a couple of chances for the Golden Knights, Shea Theodore ended the game. Playing the OT hero like always, Theodore danced to the net and scored a nifty goal to ensure the second point in the standings for the Golden Knights.

Up next for the VGK will be the San Jose Sharks on Sunday at 7:00 pm. It will be the last home regular-season game of the season at T-Mobile Arena.

VHN’s Player of the Game: Max Pacioretty

A real strong sixty-minute effort from Pacioretty who led the Golden Knight’s offense by example. After struggling to find his footing since coming back from injury, Patches came up with a huge performance Wednesday night.

Related Topics: