Silver Knights extend Pacific Division final to 3rd game

Henderson Silver Knights goaltender Logan Thompson (36) and Henderson Silver Knights right wing Paul Cotter (43) sandwich Bakersfield Condors left wing James Hamblin (11) in the second period during game 2 of the Pacific Division AHL hockey finals on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @benjaminhphoto

Henderson Silver Knights players salute the crowd after beating the Bakersfield Condors 6-3 during game 2 of the Pacific Division AHL hockey finals against on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @benjaminhphoto

Henderson Silver Knights right wing Paul Cotter (43), Henderson Silver Knights forward Jack Dugan (8) and Henderson Silver Knights right wing Jonas Rondbjerg (46) celebrate a first period goal against Bakersfield Condors goaltender Stuart Skinner (34) during game 2 of the Pacific Division AHL hockey finals on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @benjaminhphoto

Henderson Silver Knights fan Emmalynne Patterson, right, lets Bakersfield Condors players know sheÕs got her eyes on them before the start of game 2 of the Pacific Division AHL hockey finals on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @benjaminhphoto

Henderson Silver Knights right wing Paul Cotter (43) and Henderson Silver Knights forward Jack Dugan (8) watch a goal get past Bakersfield Condors goaltender Stuart Skinner (34) in the first period during game 2 of the Pacific Division AHL hockey finals on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @benjaminhphoto

Henderson Silver Knights defensemen Jimmy Schuldt (4), Henderson Silver Knights left wing Danny OÕRegan (21) and Henderson Silver Knights right wing Dylan Sikura (15) celebrate after scoring a goal in the first period during game 2 of the Pacific Division AHL hockey finals against the Bakersfield Condors on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @benjaminhphoto

Henderson Silver Knights forward Jack Dugan (8) shoots on Bakersfield Condors goaltender Stuart Skinner (34) in the first period during game 2 of the Pacific Division AHL hockey finals on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @benjaminhphoto

Henderson Silver Knights fans cheer after a goal in the first period during game 2 of the Pacific Division AHL hockey finals against the Bakersfield Condors on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @benjaminhphoto

Henderson Silver Knights forward Jack Dugan (8) tries to deflect the puck past Bakersfield Condors goaltender Stuart Skinner (34) while being blanketed by Bakersfield Condors defensemen Max Gildon (38) in the first period during game 2 of the Pacific Division AHL hockey finals on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @benjaminhphoto

Henderson Silver Knights forward Jack Dugan (8) checks Bakersfield Condors defensemen Philip Kemp (40) into the boards in the first period during game 2 of the Pacific Division AHL hockey finals on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @benjaminhphoto

Henderson Silver Knights right wing Paul Cotter (43) and Henderson Silver Knights forward Jack Dugan (8) celebrate a first period goal against Bakersfield Condors goaltender Stuart Skinner (34) during game 2 of the Pacific Division AHL hockey finals on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @benjaminhphoto

Henderson Silver Knights fans cheer after a goal in the second period during game 2 of the Pacific Division AHL hockey finals against the Bakersfield Condors on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @benjaminhphoto

Henderson Silver Knights goaltender Logan Thompson (36) makes a save against Bakersfield Condors center Adam Cracknell (27) with the help of Henderson Silver Knights defensemen Jimmy Schuldt (4) in the second period during game 2 of the Pacific Division AHL hockey finals on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @benjaminhphoto

Henderson Silver Knights goaltender Logan Thompson (36) collides with Bakersfield Condors left wing James Hamblin (11) in the second period during game 2 of the Pacific Division AHL hockey finals on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @benjaminhphoto

Henderson Silver Knights forward Jack Dugan (8) collides with Bakersfield Condors left wing Devin Brosseau (14) in the third period during game 2 of the Pacific Division AHL hockey finals on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @benjaminhphoto

Henderson Silver Knights center Ben Jones (64) has his shot blocked by Bakersfield Condors defensemen Michael Kesselring (23) before it reaches Bakersfield Condors goaltender Olivier Rodrigue (33) in the third period during game 2 of the Pacific Division AHL hockey finals on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @benjaminhphoto

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By Ben Gotz / Las Vegas Review-Journal

May 27, 2021 - 9:37 pm

Updated May 27, 2021 - 10:21 pm

The Silver Knights persevered through numerous injuries and obstacles in their inaugural year to win the regular-season Pacific Division title.

They weren’t going to let their season end without a fight.

The Silver Knights defeated the Bakersfield Condors 6-3 Thursday night at T-Mobile Arena in front of an announced crowd of 3,329 to extend their Pacific Division playoff final to a winner-take-all third game.

Game 3 will be 7 p.m. Saturday.

The Silver Knights rebounded from their 3-2 overtime loss in Game 1 on Wednesday quickly, taking a 4-0 lead into the first intermission. Left wings Dylan Sikura and Jonas Rondbjerg each scored twice to chase Bakersfield goaltender Stuart Skinner after 20 minutes.

“I was really pleased with the way we responded,” coach Manny Viveiros said. “We came out and didn’t want to sit back. We didn’t want to dip our toes into it. We just wanted to get going right away.”

The Silver Knights played the game with 11 forwards and seven defensemen, but their firepower wasn’t lacking.

Sikura had his second two-goal game and first four-point game of the season. It was also the first four-point game in Silver Knights history. Rondbjerg had his first two-goal game and third multipoint game.

Forward Maxim Marushev, a 2020 seventh-round pick by the Golden Knights, scored his first goal in the second period. Center Danny O’Regan added a goal and an assist, and right wing Cody Glass had two assists after appearing in Game 6 of the Knights’ NHL playoff series against the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday.

“I loved, first of all, Cody’s attitude today,” Viveiros said. “It was incredible. Came down and was a leader in our room and on the bench.”

The Silver Knights’ hot start gave them plenty of cushion in the second and third periods. The Condors cut their deficit to 5-3 with 2:17 to play, but O’Regan scored an empty-net goal to seal the win.

The performance earned the Silver Knights one more game this season. They want to make the most of it.

“There’s no official Calder Cup this year, but this is our Calder Cup,” Viveiros said. “It means something to both these teams.”

Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.