Despite blowing an early 2-0 lead and managing just seven shots over the final two periods, the Vegas Golden Knights say there is no need to hit the panic button heading into Game 2 of their best-of-seven Western Conference second-round series with the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday in Las Vegas.
The 4-2 loss in Game 1 on Tuesday marked just the fourth time in 102 playoff games in team history that Vegas lost a game after holding a multi-goal lead, and the first time in regulation.
Edmonton dominated the final 40 minutes, outshooting Vegas 12-1 in the second period and scoring three unanswered goals in the third period for its fifth straight comeback victory — an NHL record for consecutive comeback wins in a postseason.
“It is what it is,” said Vegas captain Mark Stone, who scored two first-period goals in the loss. “Obviously, not the outcome we wanted. There were some good parts of the game, some bad parts of the game. We’ll go over it, get ready for Thursday night’s game because it’s going to be a big one for us.”
“For us, I think there’s no panic,” Golden Knights forward Brandon Saad added. “Just reset and get on to the next. We need a bounce-back game, especially here at home before traveling to Edmonton. So it’s a very important game.”
Vegas trailed 2-1 in its first-round series with the Minnesota Wild before rallying to win three straight games.
“I’m sure guys know we were behind the last series, we found a way to get back in it,” Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. “It helps that we were able to come back. That’s always a good thing to know in the back of your mind. … But we can’t be relying on that. We’ve got to play better.”
Vegas, which used strong depth in rolling four lines and three defensive pairs to wear teams down en route to the 2023 Stanley Cup, seemed to be beaten at its own game by the Oilers in Game 1.
“We just kept coming at them,” said forward Corey Perry, who scored his 57th career playoff goal to start the Edmonton comeback. “Kept putting the puck deep, and eventually made some plays.”
“We have belief, and we have incredible depth,” added forward Zach Hyman, who scored the game-winner with 3:02 remaining. “I think all lines are contributing. Everybody feels like they have a role, everybody feels important, everybody is important on this team. It’s a great feeling. Obviously, we’ve got to keep it up.”
Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said he wouldn’t mind seeing his team get off to a better start in Game 2 despite setting the NHL record for consecutive comeback playoff wins on Tuesday.
“Yes, we’d like to get a better start, score the first goal and cruise from there,” Knoblauch said. “But if you can pick a period that you’re going to be the strongest in, as a coach, you want to be at your best in the third period. Because that’s where it’s going to come down to.”
At worst, the Oilers return home for Games 3 and 4 knowing they now have wrestled away home-ice advantage in the series.
“It’s big,” Hyman said. “You steal one from them at home and now you have an opportunity to really put them on their heels. Yeah, it feels good obviously to get the first one here.”
