‘Mutual Hatred’: Golden Knights Get Hard Fought Win over Jets

The final score looks far more comfortable than it was for the Vegas Golden Knights. The Winnipeg Jets were physical, and they peppered Golden Knights netminder Logan Thompson with 40 shots, but Thompson made 39 saves.

Anthony Mantha has five points in his last four games, and he dished a pass to Ivan Barbashev (17), who one-timed a backhand over Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck for what stood as the game-winning goal with less than six minutes remaining. The Golden Knights beat Winnipeg 4-1 at Canada Life Centre.

The Golden Knights are 2-0-1 in the first three games of a four-game Central Division road trip. Winnipeg is 0-4-1 in their last five.

The fists flew early. And again late.

Early in the first period, giant Winnipeg defenseman Logan Stanley delivered a hard hit on Michael Amadio, and on the next shift, Keegan Kolesar and Stanley dropped the gloves. At 2:51 of the first period, the tone was set as Kolesar stood up for Amadio and fought the 6-foot-7 defenseman, even though Stanley got the better of the knuckles.

Pavel Dorofeyev continued his run of lighting the lamp, and William Karlsson continued his recent trend of setting him up. Late in the first period, Karlsson gave Doroyev a pair of chances from the slot. Doroyev lasered a wrist shot over Hellebuyck’s glove hand at 15:56 for his 12th of the season.

“We played a good third period … those types of wins mean a little bit more. They’re a playoff team. It’s a team that we’ve started to develop some mutual hatred for,” Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. “And, it was physical. Those bring the best out of us … And then Logan gives you the big saves when you need them.”

The game remained relatively even, at least at even strength. The Golden Knights succumbed to the physicality and weary legs of the road, giving Winnipeg five power plays, including three in the second period. Thompson and a little bit of luck, as Winnipeg missed a few great chances, kept the Golden Knights penalty kill intact. Winnipeg had 12 power play shots.

Winnipeg tied the game early in the second period. While the Golden Knights got offensive contributions from their trade acquisition Mantha, Winnipeg has gotten a healthy dose of offensive from Sean Monohan, whom they acquired from the Montreal Canadiens.

Monahan (23) scored at 3:10 of the second period, and the game remained tied 1-1 for over 30 minutes.

Barbashev’s winner at 14:31 of the third period was beauty. Barbashev (18) added the first empty netter. Jack Eichel netted the second.

There was more controversy and fisticuffs in the third period. At 11:23, Golden Knights defenseman Nic Hague was initially given a five-minute major for elbowing Winnipeg forward Vladimir Namestnikov. However, referees reviewed the hit and reduced the major to a minor penalty, believing Namestnikov was leaning forward.

However, that didn’t stop Winnipeg’s top-line center Mark Scheifele from demanding Hague answer the bell for the hit. The pair fought, but refs gave Scheifele a two-minute instigator penalty, which carries an automatic 10-minute misconduct penalty.

Winnipeg outshot the VGK 40-27, but according to NaturalStatTrick.com, the shots were only 25-23 in favor of Winnipeg at even strength, and Winnipeg had a small 23-19 edge in scoring chances.