Golden Knights Win Pacific Division With Victory Over Kraken

The Vegas Golden Knights (51-22-9, 111 points) won their final game of the regular season 3-1 over the Seattle Kraken (46-28-8, 100 points), which secures the Pacific Division title and a first-round matchup with the Winnipeg Jets in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Both Jack Eichel and Shea Theodore returned to the lineup for the VGK from injury. Laurent Brossoit got the start in goal and Brett Howden missed the game as he is expecting the birth of his first child.

FIRST PERIOD

• Jared McCann found Will Borgen joining the play and passed to him for a shot that missed the net.
• The Kraken came to play with several quality chances to start the game. Laurent Brossoit stood tall.
• The pressure continued with Eeli Tolvanen just missing the net on a chance off the boards.
• 1-0 VGK GOAL- Vince Dunn's breakout pass hit Reilly Smith's skate and went in. Good goal, albeit strange.

• Keegan Kolesar made a great defensive play to get a stick on Eeli Tolvanen, preventing a high-danger chance.
• 1-1 SEA GOAL- After some good forechecking, Jaden Schwartz scored from the slot for the Kraken.
• Ivan Barbashev forced a turnover and went off on a breakaway but was stopped by Phillip Grubauer.

SECOND PERIOD

• Eeli Tolvanen made a good defensive play to get a stick on Jonathan Marchessault, who was ready for a shot in the slot after a pass from Jack Eichel.
• Jaden Schwartz fed Alex Wennberg, and Laurent Brossoit made a big save in the slot.
• VGK PP- Adam Larsson went to the box as he tripped up Jack Eichel.
• SEA PP- Jack Eichel, who drew the previous tripping penalty, took one of his own.
• The Kraken got some great chances on the powerplay from Daniel Sprong and Jared McCann.
• Daniel Sprong got a breakaway, but Laurent Brossoit came up with a critical right-pad save.
• VGK PP- The Kraken got caught with too many men on the ice.
• 4 on 4- The minor penalties continued with Pavel Dorofeyev holding Alex Wennberg.
• 2-1 VGK GOAL- The Golden Knights scored on a delayed penalty as Alec Martinez swatted one in.

• SEA PP- Michael Amadio took a late slashing penalty in the second period.

THIRD PERIOD

• Carson Soucy turned the puck over to Nicolas Roy, who barely lost control of the puck to get a chance.
• Ivan Barbashev tried to make one more pass to Chandler Stephenson, but the play was broken up by Daniel Sprong of the Kraken.
• Both teams failed to register a shot in roughly the first half of the third period. The Kraken got a shot first roughly eight minutes in.
• Chandler Stephenson had a break in alone on Phillip Grubauer but misplayed the puck and never got a shot.
• A scrum in front of the Golden Knights net ensued, with Nicolas Hague and Brandon Tanev involved.
• SEA PP- Brayden McNabb aired the puck over the glass, taking a delay of game penalty.
• At a critical moment in the game, the Golden Knights came up with a big penalty kill on the Kraken.
• Alex Pietrangelo and Yanni Gourde dropped the gloves but ended up just bear-hugging instead of fighting. Both were called for four minutes for roughing.
• Dave Hakstol and the Kraken pulled Phillip Grubauer for the extra attacker with 1:57 left. A timeout would come later.
• 3-1 VGK GOAL- Chandler Stephenson secured the game with an empty-net goal.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS NOTES

• The Golden Knights have won the Pacific Division title for the third time in franchise history. They also won the West Division in 2020-21.
• With the VGK getting a point, they are now confirmed to play the Winnipeg Jets in the first round of the playoffs.
• Here's a full thread detailing all of the statistical highlights from the Golden Knights 2022-23 regular season.

VHN's Player of the Game: Laurent Brossoit

Up Next: The 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs will begin on Tuesday for the Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena. We don't know what time yet, but stay tuned.