Golden Knights Get Two Players Back, Lose Two in Win Over Flames

The Vegas Golden Knights (44-21-6, 96 points) held on yet again to win a one-goal game against the Calgary Flames (32-26-15, 79 points) Thursday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Both Nicolas Roy and Logan Thompson returned to the lineup. However, both Thompson and Reilly Smith left the game with injuries. Smith left in the second period and did not return. Thompson left in the third period, and Jonathan Quick came in to finish off the game.

FIRST PERIOD

• Jonathan Marchessault had three good looks in front of the net, all on the same shift.
• Nazem Kadri found Nick Ritchie in the slot for a decent scoring opportunity, but he missed the net wide.
• Zach Whitecloud's long wrist shot from the point hit the post behind Jakob Markstrom.
• VGK PP- Troy Stetcher interfered with Brett Howden, appropriately taking an interference penalty, sending the Golden Knights to their first powerplay of the game.
• 1-0 VGK GOAL- Jack Eichel made a good pass up ice from his defensive zone to Jonathan Marchessault, who scored his 23rd goal of the season.

• 2-0 VGK GOAL- Michael Amadio was the next recipient of a long stretch pass, scoring on a pass from Shea Theodore after he found his own rebound.

• VAN PP- Teddy Blueger was called for holding the stick of Dennis Gilbert.
• NO GOAL- On the powerplay, the Flames put in the puck with Andrew Mangiapane kicking the puck in by accident/on purpose. The goal did not count.
• In the dying seconds of the powerplay, Logan Thompson made a big save on Tyler Toffoli. 
• 2-1 CGY GOAL- Brayden McNabb lost control of the puck at the offensive blue line, sending the Flames off on a 2 on 1, where Milan Lucic scored.

SECOND PERIOD

• Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev went off on the rush, and Jakob Markstrom came up with a big save on Eichel.
• Nicolas Roy made a good play the break up the puck and get it to Phil Kessel on the forecheck for a shot.
• Rasmus Andersson broke up a 2-on-1 that Reilly Smith and William Karlsson had entering the Flames zone.
• Reilly Smith got a break after an outlet pass from Pavel Dorofeyev. His shot was denied.
• Alec Martinez made a great defensive play backchecking to prevent a shot from Mikael Backlund.
• Logan Thompson made two big saves on Dillon Dube, one as a shot, and the other a mid-air swat.
• The Flames controlled the majority of the second period but weren't able to score on any of their chances.
• Late in the period, Chandler Stephenson had a grade-A chance at the side of the net, but he couldn't convert.

THIRD PERIOD

• The Golden Knight got a break with a quick whistle, as Logan Thompson did not have full control of the puck.
• 3-1 VGK GOAL- The Golden Knights new-look third line pressured the Flames' defense and forced a turnover. Nicolas Roy finished off the play, scoring in his return.

• INJURY- After taking a hit from Walker Duehr, Reilly Smith left the game with an apparent injury and did not return.
• Ivan Barbashev made a good play on the wall to steal the puck and set up Jack Eichel and Jonathan Marchessault on a 2-on-1, which was stopped.
• NO GOAL- In a strange sequence of events, Logan Thompson went to the Golden Knight's bench in an apparent effort to alert the referees that his net was off. However, play continued, and the Flames scored the Thompson scrambling to get back to his net. After review, it was determined that Milan Lucic knocked the net off a few plays earlier, and it was deemed no goal.
• Pavel Dorofeyev dances to the net with a good couple of moves and got a shot in close on Jakob Markstrom.
• CGY PP- Shea Theodore was called for tripping Blake Coleman with roughly nine minutes left in the third.
• 3-2 CGY GOAL- Nazem Kadri scored on the powerplay in the slot for his first goal in 17 games.
• INJURY- After making a routine save, Logan Thompson went down the runway with an apparent injury. Jonathan Quick entered the game with roughly six minutes left.
• Jakob Markstrom went to the Flames' bench for the extra attacker with just over two minutes left in the third.
• Freshly into the game, Jonathan Quick was forced to make some big saves to stave off the Flames' comeback. 
• The Golden Knight's once again prevailed in a close playoff-like game and held onto their lead.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS NOTES

• Logan Thompson stopped 37 of 39 shots in his return from injury before he left with another injury.
• In his return to the lineup, Nicolas Roy scored his first goal since February 18th. 
• Not only was Reilly Smith injured, but his nine-game point streak has come to an end.
• Two of the Golden Knight's goals were the product of great stretch passes from their defensive zone.
• With a goal in this game, Michael Amadio now has a new career-high in goals with 12.
• The Flames had two disallowed goals in the game. One was for kicking in the puck; the other had to do with the net being off.
• Elsewhere in the West playoff race tonight: NSH 2 SEA 1 (SO), DAL 3 PIT 2, PHI 5 MIN 4, WPG v ANA (late).

VHN's Player of the Game: Nicolas Roy.

Up Next: The Golden Knights will continue their Western Canadian road trip on Saturday as they play the Edmonton Oilers at 7:00 p.m.