The Vegas Golden Knights ended 2023 on a high note with a victory to snap a losing streak, and they entered 2024 by becoming the first team to get shut out in the history of the Winter Classic.
The team’s Twitter account made reference to the fact that they failed to score by teasing that special goal graphics and other fun were ready and waiting, but they will be lost to history following the Seattle Kraken’s 3-0 win at T-Mobile Park which is the regular home of the Seattle Mariners.
The story of the loss is something that’s been familiar to the Golden Knights this year, and that is surrendering goals early into a period, and then getting a bit “goalied” while trying to get things going.
Eeli Tolvanen scored 4:50 into the first period, Will Borgen found the back of the net 2:19 into the second period, and Yanni Gourde scored the final goal of the game 2:10 into the third. On top of that, Joey Daccord was sensational stopping all 35 shots than came his way, including 15 in the third period.
In all situations, the Golden Knights lost the expected goals battle 2.92 to 2.27.
At 5v5 the Kraken generated 2.20 goals to the Golden Knights’ 1.67, and in both cases Vegas fell short and didn’t do enough to win.
The Golden Knights are 4-6-0 in their last 10 games played, and are coming off a December in which they went 7-5-1 while scoring 48 goals and allowing 45. In November they went 6-5-3 scoring 40 goals while allowing 35, and overall their play has been a mixed bag since a scorching hot start.
In fairness, Vegas has dealt with a gaggle of injuries, and despite that they still sit in second place of the division with 49 points in 38 games, while the Vancouver Canucks have the same amount of points in two fewer games. Luckily for Vegas the third place Los Angeles Kings have been in a bit of a rut lately, but they’ve played in five fewer games and have a chance to close the gap. All in all, the Golden Knights are coming off a season in which they won the Stanley Cup. Things aren’t going the way that they want, but they are still a very talented hockey team. The Golden Knights are off until Thursday, and they be home at T-Mobile Arena for seven of the next eight games on the schedule.
Given that today’s game was played at a baseball stadium, I think it is good to end here with the final section of Casey at the Bat because it sums up the feelings many fans likely have now.
“Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
the band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
and somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
but there is no joy in Mudville—mighty Casey has struck out.”
Tonight there is no joy in Sin City—the mighty Golden Knights were shut out.