It\u2019s like listening to that same song on repeat when it first comes out.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a jam for a little bit. You\u2019re vibing to the music. You know the words by heart after the eighth straight play. Twenty times on repeat, it gets stale and you\u2019re finally on to the next song of choice.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the best way to describe the Vegas Golden Knights<\/a> and their comeback bids.<\/p>\n It\u2019s the same song and dance. It happened twice in 24 hours<\/a>. Three times since Thursday<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Knights found themselves down three goals early in the second period \u2014 scored twice to make it interesting \u2014 but ultimately lost 4-3 to the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday<\/a> night at Honda Center for their fifth straight loss.<\/p>\n \u201cIt seems like the past little bit we\u2019ve been chasing way too much,\u201d defenseman Shea Theodore said. \u201cWe\u2019ve been trying to rely on our comebacks, and it\u2019s not good enough.\u201d<\/p>\n Times have changed<\/p>\n It\u2019s not just that the Knights gave up the opening goal for the eighth time in 10 games, nor is it that they have completely erased whatever momentum they generated from their season-best seven-game winning streak not too long ago.<\/p>\n After his team allowed two goals in front of the net Saturday night in a loss to Seattle by way of no fight near the crease, Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said they needed to have more compete near the blue paint<\/a>.<\/p>\n Anaheim\u2019s first two goals came on deflections \u2014 not actual shooting motions \u2014 from left wing Chris Kreider.<\/p>\n Kreider found himself front and center in the blue paint with three Knights players surrounding him after goaltender Adin Hill played the pass from center Ryan Poehling.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first goal, we could\u2019ve done a better job,\u201d Cassidy said.<\/p>\n pic.twitter.com\/5NIo8iStxw<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Danny Webster (@DannyWebster21) February 2, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Cassidy added he felt the Knights didn\u2019t play the rush game very well, which also led to Kreider\u2019s second goal.<\/p>\n After a couple of chances that were off net, Kreider deflected a shot from defenseman Jacob Trouba that Hill couldn\u2019t read 1:10 into the second.<\/p>\n But the third goal, a power-play snipe from winger Cutter Gauthier, was a short-side finish that \u2014 based on Cassidy\u2019s response \u2014 Hill should\u2019ve stopped.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the one that hurt us. It should\u2019ve never gone in,\u201d Cassidy said. \u201cIt was a short-side goal that our kill is designed (to stop). We try to help the D block the far side. That\u2019s the save we needed at the end of the day to probably earn points tonight by the looks of it.\u201d<\/p>\n Fight is too little, too late<\/p>\n The Knights, as they\u2019ve so often done with eight third-period comeback bids this year, found their game when their back was against the wall.<\/p>\n Mitch Marner and Ivan Barbashev\u2019s goals cut the deficit to one, and the Knights got the juice from it. But they ran out of steam, as they also often have done.<\/p>\n \u201cI felt like we made a charge in the third,\u201d Theodore said. \u201cWe showed when we\u2019re on the forecheck and able to get on the inside, we made some good plays.\u201d<\/p>\n The results are what they are. The Knights lost a fifth straight game for the second time since the turn of the new year. They answered that first one with seven straight wins in some of their best hockey.<\/p>\n It\u2019s since gone up in smoke.<\/p>\n They\u2019re now tied with the Edmonton Oilers, with a game in hand, for first place in the Pacific Division. First place to sixth place is separated by six points.<\/p>\n The Knights had a chance going into the Jan. 19 game against Philadelphia to create a Grand Canyon-wide gap in a division that has been nothing short of disappointing this season.<\/p>\n Now, with two games left before the break for the Winter Olympics \u2014 which the Knights will send nine players to \u2014 room for error is getting smaller.<\/p>\n At some point, the Knights will hammer home the point of starting on time and doing it. There\u2019s no answer right now on when that\u2019ll happen.<\/p>\n \u201cOverall, not good enough,\u201d Theodore said. \u201cThere\u2019s two games left before the break and we want to be feeling good going into it. Right now, it sucks.\u201d<\/p>\n Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com<\/a>. Follow @DannyWebster21<\/a> on X.<\/p>\n \t\t\t