The Vegas Golden Knights were flying high for most of Tuesday’s game against the Nashville Predators, and it looked like they were going to snap the team’s 17-game point streak, but a flurry of goals resulted in a disappointing 5-4 loss.
The Golden Knights held a 4-1 lead in the third period, but slowly and surely the Predators chipped away. Ryan O’Reilly got the first goal of the period, and Filip Forsberg extended the lead just over six minutes later to make it 4-3. At that point the Golden Knights challenged the goal saying that the Predators were offside to start the offensive sequence that resulted in a goal, but that challenge was unsuccessful and resulted in the Predators getting a power play. It took the team just 40 seconds to score again, and just like that it was 4-4.
Both sides remained tied at 4 for the remainder of regulation, and the game ultimately was decided after 40 seconds of 3-on-3. Roman Josi completed the comeback for Nashville, and the Golden Knights had to settle for just one point for their efforts.
Following the loss, the Golden Knights sit with a record of 39-25-8 and 86 points in 72 games. They trailed the Predators by four points for the top spot in the Wild Card. The St. Louis Blues trail the Golden Knights by six points as the last team on the outside looking in on the playoff picture.
The loss is a missed opportunity, because the team really got off to a great start.
Ivan Barbashev scored just 2:45 into the game, and Brett Howden added another just 2 minutes and 23 seconds later.
Shea Theodore picked up a goal with 3:17 left in the first period, and Vegas was sitting pretty with a 3-0 lead.
Even though they surrendered a goal late in the second, William Karlsson answered with 47 seconds left to push the lead back to 3 goals with just 20 minutes left to play.
Jiri Patera got the start after Logan Thompson played the night before, and everything just snowballed on him in the third period. That said, he did make 30 saves on 35 shots, and he wasn’t the reason the team lost. The Predators just happen to be the hottest team in the NHL right now, and they got an opportunity to start a comeback and took advantage of it. The Golden Knights are back in action on Thursday in Winnipeg, and they take on the Jets who remain one of the top teams in the Western Conference this season.