Golden Knights Prevail in Chaotic Game Against Lightning

The Vegas Golden Knights (33-18-4, 70 points) put together a complete team effort and beat the Tampa Bay Lightning (35-16-2, 73 points) by a score of 5-4 Saturday night. The Golden Knights sweep their three-game homestand and have won five straight games, all after the All-Star Break.

Here's how it went down.

FIRST PERIOD

• The Golden Knight himself pumped the crowd up with a brand new pregame intro, which we won't spoil. 
• Alec Martinez fired the Golden Knight's first shot of the game, a quick wrister that hit the helmet of Andrei Vasilevskiy.
• Adin Hill made his first big save of the game, stopping Nikita Kucherov who received a cross-ice pass.
• 1-0 TBL GOAL- The Lightning's fourth line scored as Corey Perry's shot was tipped in by Vladislav Namestnikov.
• 1-1 VGK GOAL- Just seven seconds later, Keegan Kolesar made a nice pass to Brett Howden off the rush and the VGK's fourth line scored.

• TBL PP- Nicolas Roy took a hooking penalty, which turned out to be a mistake against the Lightning's powerplay.
• 2-1 TBL GOAL- 12 seconds into the Lighting's powerplay, Steven Stamkos scored from his office.
• 2-2 VGK GOAL- Once again, the Golden Knights responded with a quick goal seconds later, as Jonathan Marchessault scored from the slot.

• Brayden McNabb made an excellent defensive play by laying out to stop Alex Killorn from making a pass.
• 3-2 VGK GOAL- The Golden Knights put together a beautiful passing sequence, which finished with Shea Theodore scoring.

• Adin Hill then made a sprawling glove save out of the air to save his own rebound from going back to the Lightning.
• VGK PP- Steven Stamkos moved the broken stick of Phil Kessel, which counts as interference.
• 4-2 VGK GOAL- Jonathan Marchessault tipped a high shot from Shea Theodore, got the rebound, and scored.
• IT STANDS- Lightning head coach Jon Cooper challenged the goal for a "missed game stoppage" arguing that Jonathan Marchessault tipped the puck with a high stick and then scored on the rebound thereafter. After a lengthy review, the goal stood.

• VGK PP- The failed challenge resulted in a Golden Knights powerplay.

SECOND PERIOD

• Phil Kessel got a breakaway 1:40 into the second period but was stopped by Andrei Vasilevskiy.
• 4-3 TBL GOAL- After some lengthy sustained pressure by the Lightning, Corey Perry beat Adin Hill with a cheeky wrister.
• TBL PP- After even more Lightning zone time, Zach Whitecloud was called for holding. The VGK came up with a huge penalty kill.
• Anthony Cirelli snagged the puck from Shea Theodore at the blue line and went in for a breakaway. Adin Hill stood tall.
• Both teams had their fair share of chances in the second period with the shot totals being 20 to 19 VGK at the end of the frame.

THIRD PERIOD

• 4 on 4- Nick Paul was called for holding, and Will Carrier interference as they got tangled up.
• After both teams skated two aside, the Golden Knights dodged a too-many-men penalty as the refs pocketed their whistles.
• Phil Kessel saved a goal, as he swatted away Nikita Kucherov's pass that was destined to go to Brandon Hagel
• At the other end of the ice, Will Carrier wasn't quick enough to bat in a rebound that came to him with a yawning cage.
• Chandler Stephenson used his speed to slice through the Lightning's defense and get a shot off. He was denied.
• TBL PP- In a crucial moment of the game, with 4:40 left, Alec Martinez put the puck over the glass for a delay of game penalty.
• A complete penalty-killing effort from everybody on the Golden Knights came up big as the Lightning failed to score.
• 5-3 VGK GOAL- Andrei Vasilevskiy went to the bench for the extra attacker and Nicolas Roy scored on the empty net.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS NOTES

• It was an overall great game, with a high level of play between two good teams. The Golden Knights competed really well and won the game.
• In the first period, four goals were scored in a 2:08-second span. Brett Howden's goal seven seconds after the Lightning scored is now the quickest response goal in team history.
• The Golden Knights put up four goals in the first against Andrei Vasilevskiy, which is the most the star goaltender has ever allowed in period one.
• Jonathan Marchessault snapped a goal-scoring drought, scoring his first and then second goal in 13 games.
• There was a play in the first period where almost everyone lost sight of the puck for a good four-to-five seconds. The refs actually had to point out where the puck was in the Ligthning's own end after it took a strange bounce off the goal.
• Keegan Kolesar's passing was stellar, not only in the goal he set up to Brett Howden but all game.
• Since his return to the lineup, Brett Howden now has four points in three games. He previously had three in his first 25 games.

VHN's Player of the Game: Jonathan Marchessault

A two-goal effort gets Marchessault gets him out of his goal slump and also the POTG honors.

Up Next: The Golden Knights will play the Chicago Blackhawks on the road Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.