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Golden Knights Analysis

Golden Knights Crumble; Lose Game, Season Series vs Kings

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Los Angeles Kings right wing Adrian Kempe (9) scores against Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill (33) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, March 9, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Before Sunday’s game, the Vegas Golden Knights (38-19-6) were rolling. They had won four in a row and seven of their last eight games. They had a perfect 10-0-0 record at home against Pacific Division opponents. And then, they ran into their kryptonite: the Los Angeles Kings (33-20-9). The Golden Knights suffered defensively and conceded six goals for the third time this season; the Kings weathered the pushback and won 6-5.

Right from the start of the first period, you could sense that the Golden Knights were in trouble. They weren’t able to hold the line, and the Kings were able to enter the zone with the puck. 

The Kings broke the ice 11:22 into the first period. Zach Whitecloud’s stick broke when he attempted to clear the zone, and Andrei Kuzmenko corralled the puck. He passed cross-ice to Brandt Clarke, who fed Joel Edmundson. Edmundson fired a clapper from the point, and Anže Kopitar deflected it home. 

The Kings extended their lead to two at 18:29 in the first. Andrei Kuzmenko won a puck battle, and Anze Kopitar rimmed the puck back to Joel Edmundson at the blue line. Edmundson passed to Adrian Kempe, who hammered a shot that Adin Hill kicked away. Brandt Clarke beat Jack Eichel to the rebound, shrugged off a stick-lift attempt, and went forehand-backhand to slide the puck past Hill’s outstretched pad. 

The Golden Knights struggled to enter the zone with possession; the Kings had no such qualms. Less than two minutes into the second period, Vladislav Gavrikov broke up a pass intended for Jack Eichel, and Quinton Byfield collected the puck. He passed to Alex Laferriere, cut around Tanner Pearson, and received the return feed. Byfield entered the zone, dropped a pass back to Kevin Fiala, and redirected Fiala’s shot past Adin Hill.

Nic Hague dropped the gloves with Samuel Helenius off the following face off. This was a big boy tilt— Hague is 6’6”, 201 lbs; Helenius is 6’6”, 245 lbs.

At 5:00 in the second period, the Golden Knights got on the scoresheet. Reilly Smith collected the puck in the Kings’ zone and passed to Brayden McNabb. The pass was in his skates, but McNabb worked it in deep. Nic Roy got to it first below the goal line, rolled to the slot, and backhanded a shot that leaked through David Rittich. 

Just like that, the Golden Knights had life.

At 9:47 in the second period, Tomáš Hertl scored his first of the night. Brayden McNabb fired a shot that Pavel Dorofeyev deflected wide. Kaedan Korczak activated and worked it behind the goal line. Hertl picked it up, shrugged off Philip Danault, spun out to the right dot, and flung a shot that beat Rittich far side.

The Golden Knights were hungry for the equalizer, and it showed. They were too aggressive, and it cost them. Philip Danault sprung Warren Foegele, who blew past Nic Hague and flipped the puck over Adin Hill’s glove.

“It’s very deflating,” said head coach Bruce Cassidy. “[Nic Hague] gets in a scrap with a big strong guy to get the emotions going for us, and we battle our way back. So that’s a tough one.”

At 4:02 in the third period, the Kings extended their lead back to three. Mikey Anderson passed to Warren Foegele who fired a shot on net. Trevor Moore got to the rebound and touched it along to Philip Danault. Danault held the puck, drew in Tanner Pearson, and passed back to Moore. Moore danced around Brett Howden, used Alex Pietrangelo as a screen, and fired a shot that beat Adin Hill far side.

Jack Eichel drew an interference penalty at 7:51 in the third period. On the power play, Eichel played catch with Mark Stone below the goal line. Stone stickhandled around Mikey Anderson’s block and fed Tomáš Hertl in the bumper. Hertl one-timed it through David Rittich’s five-hole.

Victor Olofsson took a delay-of-game penalty, and the Kings made the Golden Knights pay. Drew Doughty left the puck for Adrian Kempe. Kempe collected and dropped a pass back to Kevin Fiala, who banked it ahead to Anze Kopitar. Kopitar gained the line and fed Kempe, who drove the net and beat Adin Hill five-hole.

Once again down by three, the Golden Knights didn’t give up. Kaeden Korczak dumped the puck in, and Brandt Clarke gloved it down. Brandon Saad allowed it to settle and fired a shot through Clarke that beat David Rittich glove-side.

The Golden Knights pulled Adin Hill for the extra attacker with 2:56 to go in the third period. Noah Hanifin passed cross-ice to Jack Eichel, who dusted the puck off and fed Mark Stone below the goal line. Stone played catch with Eichel, then found Tomáš Hertl back door to complete the hat trick.

The final 2:12 was a carbon copy of the rest of the game— the Golden Knights pushed but never found the equalizer. 

“That was probably our worst game of the year managing pucks in certain areas of the ice,” said head coach Bruce Cassidy. “It obviously cost us in the end.”

Golden Knights Game Notes

Brandon Saad is a very good fit for Bruce Cassidy’s system. He gets better every game; he can score, he’s fast, and he’s relentless on the forecheck. Saad was one of the best– if not the best– forwards at 5-on-5 on Sunday, and he was rewarded for his efforts with his fourth goal as a Golden Knight. He could’ve scored more. By my count, Dave Rittich robbed him twice on Sunday. 

Tomáš Hertl recorded the seventh hat trick of his career and his first as a Golden Knight. He put up a 5-4-9 stat line in four games against the Kings this season. 

One of Hertl’s three goals came on the power play, putting him in sole possession of a Golden Knights franchise record. His 12 power play goals on the season surpassed Erik Haula (2017-18) and Jack Eichel (2023-24).

Two games after playing his 400th game as a Golden Knight, Reilly Smith skated in his 900th career NHL game. His secondary assist on Nic Roy’s goal was his first point since being reacquired by the Golden Knights. 

I’ve said it before, but I’m hardly the first to draw this conclusion: if the Golden Knights meet the Kings in the postseason, I don’t see it ending well for them. The Kings shut down their transition game, forcing the Golden Knights to generate most of their offense through the cycle. That isn’t typically their style. They scored five tonight, but David Rittich didn’t make it too hard on them. 

Goaltending failed both teams tonight. Adin Hill finished the game with a -2.52 goals saved above expected; David Rittich was even worse with -2.86.

The Pearson-Eichel-Stone line was on for three of the six goals against on Sunday; Eichel and Stone were also on the ice when the Kings scored on the power play. I wouldn’t be concerned– Jack Eichel is one of the best two-way centers in the league. But if he’s having an off night, that spells bad news for the Golden Knights.

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