The Golden Knights visited the L.A. Kings for their second road trip of the season. After defeating the Kings 6-1 just days before, the Kings had vengeance on their minds. The Golden Knights struggled throughout the game but still carried the lead for shots on goal until the last few minutes of the final period. Another faceoff with a division rival left the Golden Knights questioning the future on the road.
Period One
The Vegas Golden Knights headed out West for their second trip of the 2024-2025 NHL season. The L.A. Kings met the Knights at their newly renovated arena. Both clubs showed zeal when the puck dropped, with immediate shots on goal in both ends. The division rivals got busy when Keegan Kolesar and Andreas Englund dropped gloves and got physical. Kolesar came out on top, fueling a short-lived offensive push from the Knights.
Later in the first, the Knights Goaltender Ilya Samsonov, attempted to play the puck out but nearly caught the assist on the Kings’ goal due to his pass. The score now 1-0, the Kings pounced on the Knights’ misfortune and scored again. Due to injuries, Nicolas Hague and Victor Olofsson are still absent from the bench. While Hague’s injuries are reported not to be severe, Olofsson is now on injured reserve.
The absence of both players was felt during the first period. After two goals from the L.A. Kings, the Golden Knights had the opportunity to get on the board after a high stick penalty on L.A. The Golden Knights have scored in each first period in all games this season but failed to get shots on goal during the power play. The first period ended with no response from Vegas and they were down 2-0.
Period Two
Period two in the matchup was turbulent. The Golden Knights struggled to break out into the offense. The Knights’ developing plays were perpetually broken up by the L.A. Kings. After a few minutes into the period, the Kings scored, pushing Vegas’s lead farther out of reach. Only 44 seconds later, the Kings scored again. Former L.A. King Tanner Pearson thwarted the possibility of a shutout.
In 2014, Pearson won the Stanley Cup championship with the Kings, and was the first to score against them tonight. As the minutes ticked down Mikey Anderson of the Kings laid a shoulder into the face of Tomas Hertl on a back-check. Hertl failed to keep his balance after the hit, clearly hurt, and quickly left.
Period Three
Tomas Hertl did not make his way back out of the tunnel for the first five minutes of the final period. Opening the final period, Brett Howden and Mikey Anderson served their remaining time in the box for their roughing penalties after Hertl’s hit. The Kings scored on the power play, the leaderboard now presenting a 5-1 score. Later in the last period, Tomas Hertl returned to the bench, only to be greeted with another Kings goal.
L.A. drew a roughing penalty and the VGK cashed in on the man advantage (6-2). Pavel Dorofeyev was credited with this goal, but quickly made his way back into the offensive zone. Pavel Dorofeyev once again sent a backhand goal straight into the net.
Another Loss On the Road
The final score of the L.A. Kings and Vegas Golden Knights meeting was 6-3. The Golden Knights scrambled to break out into the offensive zone and recover their pucks. The Kings were physical all around tonight and jumped onto any Knight in moderate proximity of the puck. While the VGK held the lead for shots on goal, the Kings were more accurate tonight. The Knights’ defense continues to scramble after the push of the L.A. offense. Although each club showed gumption and strength, tonight was not Vegas’s night.
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