Golden Game Gist: VGK Blow 2-0 Lead Again, Lose in Regulation 4-3

The Vegas Golden Knights (17-7-1, 35 points) blew another 2-0 lead Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins (12-8-4, 28 points). Unlike their game Monday, they did not salvage any points, losing 4-3 in regulation after they gave up a season-high 47 shots.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS LINEUP

Alex Pietrangelo remained out of the lineup for personal reasons, and Brett Howden remained out with a lower-body injury. The Golden Knights placed Howden on injured reserve Wednesday, the same day they called up Daniil Miromanov from Henderson.

Chandler Stephenson – Jack Eichel – Mark Stone (c)
Reilly Smith – William Karlsson – Jonathan Marchessault
Paul Cotter – Nicolas Roy – Phil Kessel
Will Carrier – Jake Leschyshyn – Keegan Kolesar

Nicolas Hague – Alec Martinez
Brayden McNabb – Shea Theodore
Ben Hutton – Zach Whitecloud

Logan Thompson/Adin Hill

Spares: Daniil Miromanov, Michael Amadio

FIRST PERIOD

• PIT PP- Will Carrier took a holding penalty on Jake Guentzel just 27 seconds into the game.
• Chandler Stephenson made a drive to the net shorthanded but was stopped by the right pad of Tristian Jarry.
• 1-0 VGK GOAL- Now wearing the full face shield, Jack Eichel stuffed in a pass from Mark Stone on the doorstep. Eichel was hit in the face with a shot Monday night against the Blue Jackets, hence the extra protection Thursday.

• Logan Thompson made a huge save on Evgeni Malkin midway through the period. After Pierre-Olivier Joseph snuck in on the play for a shot, Malkin had a strong rebound chance.
• Given that he played a huge part in their back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships, the Pittsburgh Penguins honored Phil Kessel for his NHL Ironman Streak during the first TV timeout of the game.
• The Penguins went on a stretch where they tested Thompson with numerous shots. Thompson was shaken up as Alec Martinez's stick came up and whacked him in the face, but stayed in the game and remained sharp.
• VGK PP- Chad Ruhwedel held up Mark Stone and sent the Golden Knights to their first powerplay of the night.
• Tristan Jarry made a huge save on Mark Stone, who collected the puck on the powerplay after a Jack Eichel one-timer.
• 2-0 VGK GOAL- In the dying seconds of the powerplay, Phil Kessel found Reilly Smith cross-ice, who scored.

• This powerplay goal snapped the Penguins' perfect 19-for-their-last-19-game streak.
• Shots were 18-14 Penguins at the end of the first period.

SECOND PERIOD

• Just like their game against the Blue Jackets, the Golden Knights struggled once more in the second period, and the Penguins evened the game up at two.
• Jason Zucker accepted an aerial pass and went in alone on Logan Thompson but was stopped.
• 2-1 PIT GOAL- Brock McGinn got the Penguins on the board as he threw a puck toward the net. It went off Ben Hutton and in.
• The Penguins almost scored as they put the puck behind Logan Thompson, but not across the goal line.

• The Penguin's third line of Brock McGinn, Kasperi Kapanen, and Jeff Carter trapped the Golden Knights in their own zone for nearly two minutes.
• 4 ON 4- Will Carrier went off for a hook, and Jeff Carter also ran into Logan Thompson and got two for goaltender interference. 
• VGK PP- Brian Dumoulin went off for a cross-check, but the Penguins' penalty kill shut down the Golden Knights
• 2-2 PIT GOAL- Sidney Crosby forced a Nicolas Hauge turnover which then resulted in a goal by Rickard Rakell.
• PIT PP- Will Carrier took his third penalty of the night, a roughing call against Chad Ruhwedel.
• The Penguins led in shots 33-21 after two periods.

THIRD PERIOD

• VGK PP- At the end of the second, Jason Zucker took a penalty which carried over into the third period.
• 3-2 VGK GOAL- On the powerplay, Shea Theodore scored his first goal in 13 games off a point shot. Mark Stone was present in front for the screen for the Golden Knight's second powerplay goal of the game.

• PIT PP- Nicolas Hague went off, but the Golden Knights killed.
• 4 on 4- A post-whistle scrum resulted in Mark Stone and Josh Archibald going off.
• Sidney Crosby forced a Golden Knights turnover and also got Logan Thompson far out of his net.
• 4 on 3- trying to get back into his net, Logan Thompson shoved Jake Guentzel, getting a roughing penalty.
• 3-3 PIT GOAL- On the ensuing 4-on-3 powerplay, Jake Guentzel scored for the Penguins to tie the game.
• 4-3 PIT GOAL- With the momentum gained from the game-tying goal, the Penguins' forecheck went to work and got the puck to Kasperi Kapanen, who scored to give the Penguins the lead.
• Logan Thompson went to the Golden Knights bench with just under two minutes remaining, and Bruce Cassidy used his timeout.
• But the Penguins held on and won the game 4-3 in regulation.

VHN's Player of the Game: Logan Thompson

The Golden Knights continued to play sloppy defense without Alex Pietrangelo, especially in the second period. With 43 saves, Logan Thompson kept the VGK in the game from start to finish.

Up Next: The Golden Knights will continue their current four-game road trip in Detroit on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.