Carnell “Golden Pipes” Johnson

 

 

VGK center Jack Eichel

Just the facts: Anaheim Ducks 4 Vegas Golden Knights 3

Story line: VGK’s frantic third period comeback falls short after Ducks’ ill-advised goal challenge

Vegas goal scorers: Shea Theodore, Tomas Hertl, Braeden Bowman

Attendance: 17,619

VGK record: 1-1-0 for two points

Quote: “Give Anaheim credit. They did check well.” — VGK head coach Ryan Craig

Vegas head coach Ryan Craig

Next VGK home game: Vs Toronto Oct. 8

   Story by Alan Snel     Photos by Hugh Byrne

LAS VEGAS, Nevada —  The Vegas Golden Knights are not afraid of change. In fact, they’re at ease at embracing it since launching the franchise’s successful tenure since 2017.

General Manager Kelly McCrimmon has pulled off blockbuster trades and player signings, while owner Bill Foley has bought out his original team partners, the Maloofs. And there’s even a new business operations president, John Penhollow, who has, in turn, hired his own team including a chief operating officer and chief marketing officer. Penhollow succeeds Kerry Bubolz, hired by Foley at the start.

And this season, the VGK have switched their radio stations, moving to Beasley’s 107.9 FM (KVGS) with play-by-play man Dan D’Uva and color analyst Gary Lawless from Lotus Broadcasting’s 94.7 FM and before that, 98.9 FM. The radio transition from Lotus to Beasley included a new Knights pregame/postgame/intermission host, Doug Latucca. Latucca replaces Ryan Wallis, who has a hockey show, called, “Neutral Ice,” on 94.7 FM, Lotus’ FOX radio station, and has joined the SinBinVegas team.

The Knights also have a new head coach, Ryan Craig, who has been groomed by McCrimmon for years to eventually be the top bench man for the VGK. Former Vegas coach Tortorella, who took over for a fired Bruce Cassidy late last season, led the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final with playoff wins over Utah, Anaheim and Colorado before Carolina knocked out Vegas in six games in the Final.

VGK coach Ryan Craig

During Craig’s postgame press conference, there’s even a new soda sponsor as evidenced by the Dr. Pepper soda bottle on the table in front of him and the Dr. Pepper logo on the background board placed behind coaches at the pressers.

At tonight’s Ducks-Knights game, there were no fans in the arena areas flanking the castle at T-Mobile Arena. In previous seasons, the VGK called it a “flight deck” and sold standing room only tickets with munchy food like nachos and hot dogs.

But a team spokesman said, “The standing-room tickets you’re referring to are not available for every home game during the season. We do still sell those tickets, just not on a nightly basis.”

Vegas’ announced attendance was 17,619 — below the 18K mark in a building with 17,367 fixed seats.

Vegas goalie Carter Hart made his second consecutive start in Game 2 of a new 84-game regular season schedule. He defeated Chicago, 5-2, opening night but yielded a breakaway goal to Anaheim winger Beckett Sennecke thanks to a gorgeous pass by Anaheim star center Leo Carlsson in the first period with only eight seconds left in the period.

That goal was a backbreaker.

Anaheim scored three goals at the start of the second period after an evenly-played first period and took a beefy 4-0 lead into the second intermission.

“I didn’t mind our start,” VGK coach Ryan Craig said at his postgame presser of the game’s first period.

There were lots of Anaheim Ducks fans in the building as Anaheim played its first game of the season.

Early in the second period, Alex Killorn gave the Ducks a 2-0 lead.

And Anaheim struck again on a goal by Jeff Malott.

And Carlsson mopped up an easy goal after Hart made a nice save and the Ducks were cruising with a 4-0 lead after 40 minutes.

The Golden Knights made their move in the final period. Shea Theodore scored for Vegas. And Anaheim challenged the goal, believing there was an offside. But the Ducks lost the challenge, which resulted in a power play for VGK. And Tomas Hertl cashed in and VGK were back in the game, trailing by two goals with more than 13 minutes to go.

Braeden Bowman gave the Knights another score in the third and the Ducks’ four-goal lead was down to a single tally at 4-3 with two minutes left in the third.

Braeden Bowman scores to make it 4-3 in the third period

Vegas came close with some scoring attempts.

But the Knights could not notch the equalizer.

The game was reminiscent of many from last season when the Knights were chasing a deficit and would come back to make the game competitive and close, and even tie the game occasionally.

Craig was asked about that after the game and said this is a new season.

Ryan Craig

Friday’s scores via the NHL:

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