Playoffs Not A Given For The Vegas Golden Knights
from David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal,
If the Golden Knights thought making the playoffs was a given, they’re finding out that’s not the case.
Los Angeles’ Adrian Kempe scored 2:18 into overtime Friday night, and the Knights are starting to feel the squeeze in the Pacific Division after a 4-3 loss to the Kings in front of an announced crowd of 18,238 at T-Mobile Arena.
“We found a way to scrape a point out, but it wasn’t our finest effort,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “We’ve got to get used to the fact that we’re in the middle of a race here for positioning to the finish line and everybody we’re playing has that hunger that you have to bring if you’re going to win games this time of year.”
Max Pacioretty finished with two goals and Reilly Smith also scored for the Knights, who lost their third straight game (0-2-1).
Jack Eichel, who debuted Wednesday after artificial disk replacement surgery on his neck in November, picked up an assist on Pacioretty’s second goal for his first point with the Knights.
But after spending a good portion of the season in first place, the Knights hit the 50-game mark second in the division behind Calgary with company in the playoff chase.
Edmonton sits three points back with two games in hand, and Los Angeles also has 57 points having played one fewer game than the Knights. Five points separate second from fifth place in the Pacific, with sixth-place Vancouver lurking not far behind.
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Game highlights are below....
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