Knights return from layoff to blow out Kings

[February 06, 2021]  Nicolas Hague and William Karlsson each had a goal and two assists and Marc-Andre Fleury finished with 27 saves as the Vegas Golden Knights didn't look rusty after a nine-day COVID-19 layoff in their 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Friday night in Las Vegas.

Vegas' Mark Stone and Jonathan Marchessault each had a goal and an assist, and Max Pacioretty tied a career high with three assists. Cody Glass also had a goal for the Golden Knights, who scored four goals on their first 10 shots while building a 5-0 lead after two periods.

Vegas was playing its first game since a 5-4 shootout loss to St. Louis on Jan. 26. The Knights were without defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, who remains in COVID protocol.

Dustin Brown had a goal and an assist and Austin Wagner also scored for Los Angeles. Calvin Petersen, taking over for Jonathan Quick early in the second period, had 25 saves.

Vegas needed just 50 seconds to take a 1-0 lead when Hague picked up a loose puck near the left faceoff dot and fired a wrist shot through traffic and into the far top corner for his second career goal.

Stone made it 2-0 with his third goal of the season when his slap shot at the end of an odd-man rush bounced off Quick and then caromed in off the skate of nearby defenseman Kurtis MacDermid.

Marchessault followed 68 seconds later with his second goal of the season, backhanding in a rebound of a Karlsson shot that was left in the middle of the crease.

Los Angeles Kings right wing Dustin Brown (23) and Vegas Golden Knights right wing Ryan Reaves (75) vie for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Feb. 5, 2021, in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: John Locher/Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports

Karlsson increased the lead to 4-0 just 1:35 into the second period when he streaked down the left wing and beat Quick with a wrist shot on his glove side for his third goal of the season. Quick was then pulled for Petersen after stopping just six of 10 shots.

Glass made it 5-0 midway through the period with a power-play goal, knocking in a rebound of a Karlsson shot into a wide-open right side of the net for his second goal of the season.

Wagner snapped Fleury's 119:59 shutout streak midway through the third period when he took a pass from Brown cutting in on the right wing and fired a backhand shot into the net for his first goal of the season.

Brown added a power-play goal with 6:27 remaining to end the scoring.

--Field Level Media
 

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