It is win or go home for both squads tonight. Vegas looks to close the series out after getting blown out last night and Vancouver looks to come back from being down 3-1 and advance to their first Western Conference final since 2011.
Vancouver Canucks Lines and Defencive Pairings
J.T. Miller — Elias Pettersson — Brock Boeser
Tanner Pearson — Bo Horvat — Tyler Toffoli
Antoine Roussel — Adam Gaudette — Brandon Sutter
Tyler Motte — Jay Beagle — Jake Virtanen
Alexander Edler — Troy Stecher
Quinn Hughes — Christopher Tanev
Oscar Fantenberg — Tyler Myers
Thatcher Demko
Louis Domingue
Scratched: Olli Juolevi, Justin Bailey, Jalen Chatfield, Tyler Graovac, Brogan Rafferty, Loui Eriksson, Jordie Benn, Jake Kielly
Unfit to play: Micheal Ferland, Josh Leivo, Jacob Markstrom, Michael DiPietro
Vegas Golden Knights Lines and Defencive Pairings
Max Pacioretty — Chandler Stephenson — Mark Stone
Jonathan Marchessault — William Karlsson — Reilly Smith
William Carrier — Tomas Nosek — Ryan Reaves
Nicolas Roy — Paul Stastny — Alex Tuch
Alec Martinez — Shea Theodore
Brayden McNabb — Nate Schmidt
Nick Holden — Zach Whitecloud
Robin Lehner
Marc-Andre Fleury
Scratched: Patrick Brown, Dylan Coghlan, Oscar Dansk, Reid Duke, Deryk Engelland, Nicolas Hague, Keegan Kolesar, Peyton Krebs, Jon Merrill, Gage Quinney, Nick Cousins
Unfit to play:
1st Period Analysis and Summary
Vancouver would have issues getting shots off throughout the first eight minutes of the contest, as the Canucks would not get their first shot on goal until well after seven minutes into the period.
Vegas goes on their first Power Play after a Vancouver penalty is issued for Interference at 12:36. Vegas was unable to take advantage of the extra man and the contest remains scoreless at 14:59.
Vegas thus far is laying out the heavy hits and Vancouver is a bit slow to get to the puck after said heavy hits. Vegas goes to the penalty kill when Nicolas Roy is issued a tripping call at 18:18. The first period ends with no score. When the second period begins, the Canucks will be on the power play for 18 seconds.
| VAN Penalty | Jake Virtanen | for | Interference | 2 min minor | 12:36 |
| VGK Penalty | Nicolas Roy | for | Tripping | 2 min minor | 18:18 |
1st Period Stats
| Vancouver Canucks | Vegas Golden Knights | |
| Faceoffs | 7 for 14 | 7 for 14 |
| Power Play | 0 for 1 (:18 left on PP) | 0 for 1 |
| Shots | 2 | 11 |
| Hits | 9 | 24 |
2nd Period Analysis and Summary
The Vancouver Canucks power play comes to an end and a couple of minutes later, the Canucks are back on the Power Play after Max Pacioretty is dealt a minor penalty for Slashing at 1:53. The power play comes to an end with the Canucks registering no shots on either if the two power plays they have had thus far.
Vegas has not been playing a crisp game and they’re shots are either too short or are wide of the net. If Vegas wants to win this contest, they’re going to need to make more crisp passes and connect more to the net with shots.
At the halfway point in the contest, Vancouver has only managed a single shot in the second period. With play like that, it is very difficult to produce any kind of results.
Vegas heads to their second power play when the Canucks Alexander Edler is dealt a minor for holding the stick at 12:31. Vegas goes on the penalty kill when Ryan Reaves is dealt a major penalty for an illegal check to the head at 16:30. Reaves is also issued a game misconduct, ending his night.
The second period comes to and end with the no score. When the third period begins, there will be 1:30 left on the 5 minute Power Play.
| VGK Penalty | Max Pacioretty | for | Slashing | 2 min minor | 1:53 |
| VAN Penalty | Alexander Edler | for | Holding the stick | 2 min minor | 12:31 |
| VGK Penalty | Ryan Reaves (served by William Carrier) | for | Illegal Check to the Head | 5 min major | 16:30 |
| VGK | Ryan Reaves | Game Misconduct | 10 min | 16:30 |
2nd Period Stats
| Vancouver Cancuks | Vegas Golden Knights | |
| Faceoffs | 20 for 33 | 13 for 33 |
| Power Play | 0 for 2 (1:30 left on PP) | 0 for 2 |
| Shots | 6 | 21 |
| Hits | 19 | 40 |
3rd Period Analysis and Summary
The power play comes to an end with Vancouver only getting one shot during the five minute man-advantage. The Canucks still are having issues getting shots off in the period although Thatcher Demko has made spectacular saves throughout the contest for Vancouver.
Max Pacioretty is called for Hooking at 10:11, the fourth Vegas penalty on the night. J.T. Miller goes to the box on a hooking call at 13:47. Vegas needs to make something happen on the power play. Before the power play begins, they end up calling a timeout to set up the plan for the power play.
The timeout works as Vegas strikes just five seconds into the power play. Shea Theodore is credited with the goal, his sixth in the postseason. Reilly Smith is credited with the assist, his ninth in the postseason.
Vancouver pulls Thatcher Demko with 2:32 left in the period to bring on the extra attacker in hopes of extending the season but that does not work. Vegas scores the empty net at 17:54. Alex Tuch is credited with the goal, his eighth. Paul Stastny is credited with the assist, his third.
Vegas sticks the dagger in with the second empty net goal with 6 seconds remaining and the Golden Knights advance to their 2nd Western Conference Final in three seasons with the 3-0 win.
| VGK Penalty | Max Pacioretty | for | Hooking | 2 min minor | 10:11 |
| VAN Penalty | J.T. Miller | for | Hooking | 2 min minor | 13:47 |
| VGK PP Goal | Shea Theodore (6) | Assisted by | Reilly Smith (9) | 13:52 | |
| VGK EN Goal | Alex Tuch (8) | Assisted by | Paul Stastny (3) | 17:54 | |
| VGK EN Goal | Paul Stastny (2) | 19:54 |
3rd Period Stats
| Vancouver Canucks | Vegas Golden Knights | |
| Faceoffs | 35 for 59 | 24 for 59 |
| Power Play | 0 for 4 | 1 for 3 |
| Shots | 15 | 36 |
| Hits | 27 | 45 |
Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals is Sunday night at 8 pm ET/6 pm MT.
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