When it came time for head coach Gerard Gallant to decide between continuing with what Vegas offered in the first two games of its playoff series or inserting a now healthy David Perron back into the lineup, the choice didn’t fall in Tatar’s favor.
Search results for:
What changed for many who made the trek from Las Vegas was how affordable these playoffs suddenly became to witness firsthand.
One of the central reasons Vegas beat the Kings in two overtimes on Friday — other than the fact that Marc-Andre Fleury in goal matched the dazzling play of Jonathan Quick — was an obvious advantage in conditioning.
Put it this way: The Knights set a team record for attendance in each of the first two games. There won’t be so many faces smiling in their direction the next two.
It’s a safe bet things weren’t as physical as the final stats suggested — 127 hits were officially recorded — but that doesn’t mean Vegas didn’t send an important message.
It’s just the beginning — Game 2 is here Friday night — and yet if the pace and style present for much of Wednesday holds to form, we’re in for a string of games defined by big hits and the highest caliber of goaltending.
If any team appeared overly perturbed about how the Knights crashed the NHL’s party this season and produced a run to be etched in the game’s history books, it’s the Kings.
The faithful bond between Southern Nevada and the Golden Knights was born, in large part, through the response to a mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest festival on 1 October.