Golden Knights Pummel Kings At Home With Strong Game

The Vegas Golden Knights (49-22-8, 106 points) pummeled the Los Angeles Kings (45-24-10, 100 points) 5-2 in a critical playoff-like matchup down the stretch. The Golden Knights put up a four-goal first period and then scored again in the second to come out with a 5-0 lead.

Laurent Brossoit got the start, and the Golden Knight's new line combinations took to the ice. The newly formed line of Chandler Stephenson, Phil Kessel, and Ivan Barbashev, in particular, was fantastic. It was perhaps one of the best games the Golden Knights played all year.

FIRST PERIOD

• Jack Eichel skated all the way to the net and fed Jonathan Marchessault by the right post, but he fanned on his shot.
• NO GOAL- Anze Kopitar seemingly scored with a screen from Quinton Byfield, but it was determined the play was offsides after a challenge.
• 1-0 VGK GOAL- Phil Kessel scored for the Golden Knights, simply jamming the puck in from behind the net.

• 2-0 VGK GOAL- Ivan Barbashev then scored after a nice feed from Chandler Stephenson across the net.

• The line of Phil Kessel, Ivan Barbashev, and Chandler Stephenson crashed the net again, with Stephenson seemingly scoring.
• The net was removed on the play a few seconds before the puck crossed the line. It was Phil Kessel who knocked off the net.
• 3-0 VGK GOAL- The call stood for a Chandler Stephenson goal, as it was the Kings players who caused Phil Kessel to knock the net off.

• FIGHT- Zack MacEwen threw a dirty hit on Ben Hutton, and Nicolas Hague angrily stood up for his teammate, fighting MacEwen in a spirited tilt.

• 4 on 4- The play resulted in three minutes of 4 on 4, with Nic Hague getting an instigator and Zack MacEwen getting five for boarding.
• 4-0 VGK GOAL- The Golden Knights eventually got three minutes of powerplay time and scored one goal, with Nicolas Roy scoring.

SECOND PERIOD

• 5-0 VGK GOAL- Right off the bat in the second period, Jonathan Marchessault scored to finish Joonas Korpisalo's night.

• After the fourth goal, Kings head coach Todd McClellan pulled Joonas Korpisalo and replaced him with Pheonix Copley.
• Phil Kessel received a breakout pass and went off on a breakaway but was stopped by Pheonix Copley, now in net.
• Alex Pietrangelo made a great pass down low to Reilly Smith off the rush, but he aired his shot above the net.
• LAK PP- Ivan Barbashev went to the box after slashing Viktor Arvidsson.
• 5-1 LAK GOAL- On the powerplay, the Kings cut the deficit with Anze Kopitar scoring after a strange bounce.
• Jack Eichel and Pavel Dorofeyev combined for a couple of quality chances off the rush. Pheonix Copley stood tall.
• VGK PP- Sean Durzi was called for hooking Michael Amadio.
• 5-2 LAK GOAL- Shorthanded, Vladislav Gavrikov chipped the puck past Alex Pietrangelo and scored five-hole on Laurent Brossoit.

THIRD PERIOD

• The third period went about how you would expect with the Kings down three. The VGK continued their offensive pressure.
• Nicolas Hague was able to return to the game after all of his penalties expired.
• VGK PP- Arthur Kaliyev was called for holding with 4:12 left.
• NO GOAL- Reilly Smith scored on the ensuing powerplay, but the goal was called back for being offside.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS NOTES

• The Golden Knight's new third line of Chandler Stephenson, Phil Kessel, and Ivan Barbashev immediately paid dividends.
• Nicolas Hague played just 7:12 through two periods, thanks to penalties. But his electric fight against Zack MacEwen was huge for the team.
• With his 27th goal of the season, Jonathan Marchessault is now tied with Jack Eichel for the team lead in goals.
• The Golden Knights won a coaches' challenge in the first period and are now four-for-four on challenges this season.
• Alex Pietrangelo reached 52 points, which makes him the highest-scoring single-season Golden Knights defenseman of all time.

VHN's Player of the Game: Chandler Stephenson, for leading the new-look third line to success. 

Up Next: The Golden Knights will play the Dallas Stars on Saturday on the road at 12:30 p.m.