Vegas Golden Knights right wing Anthony Mantha (39) skates against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period of an NHL hockey game at T-Mobile Arena Tuesday, March 19, 2024.
Published Tuesday, March 19, 2024 | 9:39 p.m.
Updated Tuesday, March 19, 2024 | 10:46 p.m.
The Golden Knights haven’t quite turned it all around just yet.
There was hope that Vegas had left behind a midseason swoon after a highly active and successful trade deadline followed by wins in three of four games. But the Golden Knights reverted to their recent sloppy ways in a 5-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning Tuesday night at T-Mobile Arena, the second contest in a four-game home stand.
“Points are crucial this time of year,” defenseman Alec Martinez said. “I guess we just had a few too many mental lapses. They’ve got a really good hockey club, especially offensively. They capitalized. We didn’t.”
The new-look Vegas defense, led by initial trade-deadline acquisition Noah Hanifin with a team-high 25 shifts, held strong for the first couple periods but eventually cracked to the pressure of Tampa Bay’s star-laden lineup.
The Lightning scored three times in the third period, first when Hart Trophy contender Nikita Kucherov made a nifty pass to Brayden Point in traffic to add to the visitors’ league-leading power play percentage on the year.
That put Tampa Bay ahead 3-2, but Vegas answered in less than four minutes with defenseman Ben Hutton wristing in a goal from the slot.
Point and Kucherov combined to break the tie again, however, with the latter finding the former with a pass that came off the boards and eventually beat Vegas goaltender Adin Hill.
The Stanley Cup hero from a year ago slumped his shoulders in the crease as another night passed without him finding the form that had him rated as one of the best goaltenders in the league in last year’s playoffs through early this season.
“We believe in our goaltenders,” Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy declared. “They’ve got to start believing in themselves as well.”
Hill has now given up three or more goals in six straight starts, and 12 of his last 13 games.
“With Hilly, it’s a lot of third periods so we’ve got to get him over the hump, got to get him to the finish line,” Cassidy said. “That’s it. Part of that will be on him to play his way through it. Part of it is on us to recognize it and tighten up.”
His teammates didn’t give him much help on the first Lightning goal of the night. Vegas committed one of its five giveaways on an early power-play that led to a two-man breakaway for Tampa Bay.
Anthony Cirelli cashed in with a shorthanded goal to make the score 1-1 seven minutes into the game.
Vegas forward Jonathan Marchessault scored first on the night, keeping up his torrid pace this season with his 38th goal in his 500th game as a member of the Golden Knights.
But Marchessault’s top line was part of the problem for the rest of the night. Star center Jack Eichel specifically mishandled the puck on a couple occasions, with one turnover leading to Cassidy frowning on the bench in the second period.
But the defense didn’t allow the carelessness to cost the Golden Knights too much early. The Lightning only managed three shots on goal in the second period, and none of them were too difficult for Hill to corral.
“I liked our flow of the game tonight in terms of our personnel, how we used everybody,” Cassidy said. “I thought everybody was working hard to contribute and play the right way. We just gave up some goals in the third again. We’re just going to have to correct our play and get timely saves.”
Vegas went into the second intermission tied 2-2 when it capitalized on its own takeaway with Brett Howden snapping a 14-game scoreless streak with a goal against his former team.
Howden also cleared the way for Hutton’s goal later on with a big hit that sent a couple Lightning skaters to the ice. But Tampa Bay’s offense put together its best frame in the third period, and Vegas had neither the defense to withstand it nor the attack to counter.
“We’ve got to look in the mirror and remember what we do well,” forward Keegan Kolesar said. “Every guy’s got a job. That’s what makes us such a good team, when everybody is pulling their weight.”
The Golden Knights may have brought in some recent reinforcements from around the league, but they haven’t recently shown enough firepower to withstand an off-night from their best player and goaltender against a playoff-caliber team. That’s what Tuesday was with Eichel never finding his rhythm and Hill looking uncomfortable late.
Kucherov scored on an empty net with 1:09 remaining to clinch the victory for the Lightning.
“It’s just a bounce here or there,” Martinez said. “It’s a tough one, especially this time of year, but we’re just going to keep grinding and bounce back.”
Vegas currently sits three points ahead of the Minnesota Wild for the Western Conference’s final playoff spot with one game in hand. The Golden Knights should have a chance to strengthen their spot as a big favorite in its final two games of the home stand before heading back out onto the road.
The Golden Knights face the Seattle Kraken at 7:30 p.m. Thursday before hosting the Columbus Blue Jackets at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or
