On Tuesday, the Vegas Golden Knights (9-4-6) hosted the New York Rangers (10-9-3). They played hard from puck drop, scored first, and jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second period. They withstood a late push from the Rangers and held on for a 3-2 win.

The first period was a mix between a defensive masterclass and an offensive disaster. Neither team could manage a tape-to-tape pass, and both were defensively sound at 5-on-5.

At 11:14 in the first period, Mitch Marner cut through center ice and drew a tripping penalty. The Golden Knights scored on the ensuing power play. Tomáš Hertl tipped Mitch Marner’s shot, but Igor Shesterkin made the save. The rebound went right to Braedan Bowman, who roofed it for his second goal of the season.

The Rangers came out flat to start the second period. The Golden Knights quickly made them pay, doubling their lead 3:23 into the second. Tomáš Hertl won a board battle, and Pavel Dorofeyev came up with the puck. Dorofeyev fed Ben Hutton, who wristed a shot that squeaked through Sheskerkin’s five-hole. 

The Rangers woke up after Hutton’s goal and upped their pressure. Ivan Barbashev turned the puck over in the offensive zone, sending Will Cuylle and Jonny Brodzinski on a 2-on-1. Akira Schmid kicked out Cuylle’s shot, and Brodzinski banged in the rebound. 

At 5:35 in the third period, Cole Reinhardt drew a penalty, and the Golden Knights scored on the ensuing power play. After playing catch with Noah Hanifin at the blue line, Shea Theodore drifted towards the left circle and fired a wrister that beat Igor Shesterkin far-side.

The game opened up in the last eight minutes of the third period, and the teams furiously traded chances. The Rangers thought they pulled to within one, but the Golden Knights successfully challenged for offsides. 

With just under three minutes remaining in regulation, the Rangers pulled Shesterkin for the extra attacker. JT Miller fed Artemi Panarin for a one-timer from the point, and Vincent Trocheck deflected Panarin’s blast past Akira Schmid.

After Trocheck’s goal, the Golden Knights hunkered down and protected their net. Despite passing up looks at the empty net, they held on for a 3-2 win to snap the Rangers’ six-game road win streak.

Three stars of the game: Ben Hutton, Shea Theodore, Akira Schmid

7 Golden Knights Observations

1. For the seventh time in 19 games, the Golden Knights scored the first goal. I’m going to keep track of this stat until it no longer becomes relevant.

2. They didn’t cash in, but the third line had some serious hop all night. And it makes sense– both Reilly Smith and Brett Howden spent time with the Rangers. Despite not scoring, they were probably the Golden Knights’ best line tonight and outshot the Rangers 6-0.

3. Akira Schmid made some huge saves tonight. He denied Will Cuylle and Vincent Trocheck’s shorthanded 2-on-1 to keep the Golden Knights ahead 2-1, and made a few stops when the Rangers pressed 6-on-5. He finished the night with a .68 GSAx and recorded his seventh win of the season to improve to 7-1-2.

4. Jack Eichel can’t buy a goal right now. In the third period, he fired into Igor Shesterkin’s leg while staring down an empty net; he rang one off the post 25 seconds later. 

5. The power play hasn’t looked great without Mark Stone, but the arrival of Braedan Bowman has turned that right around. The Golden Knights are 4-for-6 in the last two games, and that’s the biggest reason why they captured three points.

6. For the second straight game, the second power play unit scored a goal. Tonight, it stood as the game-winner. 

7. Shea Theodore’s goal stood as the game-winner, but it meant more than that. Tonight, the Golden Knights hosted Hockey Fights Cancer Night, and Theodore is a cancer survivor. Some things are deeper than hockey.