The Vegas Golden Knights Rookie Faceoff ended this Monday with sweeping success. Vegas faced off against the Los Angeles Kings, Seattle Kraken, and the Utah Hockey Club over the weekend, and spectators could not have been more proud. With a shutout to start the Rookie FaceOff, the rookie Golden Knights impressed scouts, management, and fans with fierce hockey play.
The Games
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On September 13th the Golden Knights’ rookie team started the Faceoff series against the Los Angeles Kings. The series was hosted at the Toyota Sports Performance Center in El Segundo. The opening game was intense Friday night with Vegas adding consistent pressure to the Kings’ defense. After zealous gameplay, only two goals were scored. Both are from the VGK rookie team. Las Angeles was officially shut out. The second game in the 2024 Rookie Faceoff was against the Seattle Kraken. Here is where the rookie VGK bench received some resistance.
Although Vegas dominated the offensive zone through period one, the young players got caught in the penalty box, allowing Seattle to gain some ice. With Seattle pushing past Vegas’s blue line, they were able to score three goals against Vegas but ultimately lost to the Knights by three goals. Lastly, we had arguably the most equally matched game. The Utah Hockey Club was stuck in their defensive zone for the first period and roughly the first half of the second.
Unfortunately, the Vegas rookies were unable to lock down the penalties seen in the previous game, allowing Utah to tie the game at one point. After the threat of a loss Vegas quickly tightened their gameplay, scoring two goals to end the game at 5-3 Vegas.
Notable Rookie Players
Many players stood out to the crowd and to the Las Vegas Golden Knights leadership. Players such as defenseman Joe Fleming #50, forward Bear Hughes #60, goaltender Carl Lindbom #30, and forward Matyas Sapovaliv #25. Fleming dealt some hard hits in game three, as well as some penalties, but offered a fast puck response and sent pucks down in the offensive corner.
Hughes was all over the ice, but exactly where he needed to be. The current AHL contract holder scored two goals in the final game against Utah. Small-statured Swedish goaltender Lindbom presented an impeccable ability to read and anticipate plays.
Matyas Sapovaliv showed nothing but gumption on the ice this weekend. Despite the multitude of challenges he has faced in his life and hockey career, he impressed many during the Rookie Faceoff. According to Director of Amateur Scouting, Scott Luce during an interview with the broadcasters during the second intermission break, Sapovaliv is a ferociously fast player. “on fresh ice, he’s gone … can’t touch that speed” time stamp 2:18:23.
Concluding the 2024 Rookie Faceoff
The Las Vegas Golden Knights rookie team exceeded anticipations. From the first game being shut out by both goaltenders Carl Lindbom and Jesper Vikman, to two impressively executed games against the Seattle Kraken and Utah Hockey Club. The players hope to see themselves at camp and continue to refine their hockey game. Most of all, their eyes are set on Las Vegas Golden Knights contracts. With many of the players listed above and not listed, the rookies astonished many. Though the front office noticed some things that need to be refined, like penalties, we can hope to see these fresh players continue to develop their hockey sense.
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