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Thompson, Golden Knights Defeat Ducks on Nevada Day 4-0

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William Karlsson, Vegas Golden Knights Nevada Day jerseys (Photo- Vegas Golden Knights via Twitter)

The Vegas Golden Knights (7-2-0, fourteen points) defeated the Anaheim Ducks (1-6-1, three points) Friday afternoon at home by a score of 4-0.

It was a special matinee Friday game with the Golden Knights celebrating Nevada Day and also honoring first responders. They wore special blue Nevada jerseys similar to the Henderson Silver Knights, who lost their Nevada Day game earlier against the Colorado Eagles.

With Keegan Kolesar sick, Jake Leschsyhyn drew in for the VGK. Nicolas Roy moved up to the third line, and Leschyshn centered Will Carrier and Michael Amadio on the fourth line. Logan Thompson started, and with 29 saves, he earned his third career shutout.

With it being Nevada Day, an all-original Golden Knights lineup started. The Misfit line of Reilly Smith, William Karlsson, and Jonathan Marchessault, as well as Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore. Before puck drop, Phil Kessel was also honored for setting the NHL’s all-time ironman streak in San Jose.

The Golden Knights had a strong first period and took advantage of a Ducks team that had lost six straight. The Misfit line, in particular, was great. Kessel found Zach Whitecloud for a good chance.

On their second powerplay opportunity of the night, Chandler Stephenson scored for the Golden Knights. After waiting from behind the net for options, Stephenson simply decided to shoot himself and snuck one in on John Gibson. Alex Pietrangelo and birthday boy Jack Eichel had the assists.

 

The Golden Knights took control of the game in the second period and scored three goals. But it all started at the other end with Logan Thompson. Max Comtois had a breakaway which was stopped by LT. Later, Thompson got into things with Frank Vatrano after a Ducks chance.

Thompson shoved Vatrano to the ice after a post-whistle scrum which caused an even bigger scrum. After all the madness, Leschyshyn, Max Jones, and Zach Whitecloud all went to the box.

On the penalty kill, the Golden Knights scored their first shorthanded goal of the season. Jakob Silfverberg took a friendly fire shot which led to a 2-on-1 for Karlsson and Smith. Scoring his 100th goal as a Golden Knight, Smith made no mistake. The Misfits had themselves a great game Friday.

Later in the period, Marchessault joined his fellow Misfits on the scoresheet. The Ducks gave him way too much time and space in the offensive zone, and he used it to simply shoot and score on a slapshot that Karlsson tipped past Gibson.

To close out the period, the Golden Knights scored again. Nicolas Hague made an aerial pass to Nicolas Roy, who cut behind the Duck’s defense and scored. Making matters worse for the Ducks in the second period, second-year defenseman Jamie Drysdale left the game with an injury and did not return.

The third period went about how you would expect with the Ducks down four. Anthony Stolarz entered the game and replaced Gibson. Thompson battled and kept the Ducks at bay as the clock ran out, and the Golden Knights walked away with the 4-0 victory on Nevada Day.

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VHN’s Player of the Game: Reilly Smith

On Nevada Day, gotta give it to an original Golden Knight in Smith. Congrats to him on 100 VGK goals.

Up Next: The Golden Knights will finish up their current homestand with a Sunday game against the Winnipeg Jets at 5:00 p.m. Then, they will embark on a five-game road trip, starting in Washington, D.C.