Golden Knights Get Goals From Stone and Eichel, Capture Game Two

The Vegas Golden Knights (1-1 series) evened their first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series with the Winnipeg Jets (1-1 series) winning at home 5-2.

The VGK put together two solid periods of play after they found their footing in the second. Both Jack Eichel and Mark Stone scored their first goals of the playoffs. No lineup changes were made for either team outside of Adin Hill now backing up Laurent Brossoit for the Golden Knights.

FIRST PERIOD

• Head coach Bruce Cassidy once again opted to start his fourth line alongside the D-pairing of Zach Whitecloud and Nicolas Hague.
• On a rebound chance, Vladislav Namestnikov just missed the net, with Laurent Brossoit scrambling to get back to his crease.
• After the Jets turned the puck over on a botched breakout, William Karlsson got a shot off, but it missed the net.
• VGK PP- Vladislav Namestnikov had a little too much contact with Nicolas Hague on a one-on-one puck battle and was called for holding.
• On the powerplay, Chandler Stephenson was absolutely robbed by Connor Hellebuyck, who dove to make a goal-line glove save.
• Connor Hellebuyck again continued to dominate, this time making a save with his helmet that resulted in him being bloodied.

• WPG PP- Nicolas Hague went out of his way to try and hit a Jets player and was called for tripping.
• 1-0 WPG GOAL- Adam Lowry scored his third goal of the series by tipping in a Neil Pionk point shot on the powerplay.

• The Jets started to put on a clinic after their first goal, with their star players dangling around the Golden Knight's defense.
• Kyle Connor specifically had two grade-A chances, one where he deked to the net, and another on a rebound from Josh Morrissey's shot.
• William Karlsson got the Golden Knight's first even-strength shot on goal with roughly seven and a half minutes left in the first.
• VGK PP- Morgan Barron was called for hooking Jack Eichel on his way to the net.
• 4 on 4- Both Nicolas Roy and Brenden Dillon went to the box after a skirmish that started with an attempted Dillon hit on Keegan Kolesar.
• 4 on 3- Another massive scrum erupted after the whistle, which sent Alex Pietrangelo to the box for roughing, making things a 4 on 3.
• VGK PP- Nino Niederreitter then took a slashing penalty, which gave the VGK the remaining 1:12 of the first period to work with.
• 4 on 4- Yet another post-whistle scrum occurred with just 2.5 left in the period. Ivan Barbashev and Dylan Samberg were each called for roughing. 

SECOND PERIOD

• Mark Stone had three good looks in front of the net on the powerplay but was unable to bury them.
• Head coach Bruce Cassidy shuffled up his line combinations, putting Michael Amadio on the top line and Brett Howden on Mark Stone's line.
• 1-1 VGK GOAL- After the puck pinballed around in the slot, William Karlsson found it and shot home his second goal of the series.

• VGK PP- The Golden Knights started to put together some good offensive chances. Dylan Samberg was called for interference.
• 4 on 4- Just a few seconds into the powerplay, Chandler Stephenson made things a 4 on 4 as he took a hooking minor.
• 2-1 VGK GOAL- Jack Eichel tipped in Alex Pietrangelo's shot to give the Golden Knights their first lead of the series.

• 2-2 WPG GOAL- Saku Maenalanen's centering feed to Kevin Stenlund was chipped in by Laurent Brossoit to tie the game.

THIRD PERIOD

• Keegan Kolesar caught a puck in the slot and got off a decent wrist shot that Connor Hellebuyck turned aside.
• 3-2 VGK GOAL- On a rebound, Chandler Stephenson buried home the critical go-ahead goal roughly six minutes into the third.

• Alex Pietrangelo turned the puck over at the blue line, and Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor went off on a rush. 
• Brayden McNabb laid one of his patented hip checks but was shaken up in the process and left the game.
• 4-2 VGK GOAL- Chandler Stephenson fed Mark Stone at the side of the net for his first goal back with the team.

• 5-2 VGK GOAL- Not long after, Mark Stone scored yet again from the slot to add another in his comeback night.

• The Golden Knights, riding high off two emotionally powerful goals from their captain, closed the game out, a 5-2 win.

VHN's Player of the Game: Mark Stone… duh.

Up Next: Game Three will be played in Winnipeg on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.