Vegas Golden Knights and Montreal Canadiens: Did Special Teams Make the Difference?

The Vegas Golden Knights, with a record of 25-9-3, faced off against the Montreal Canadiens, who came into the game with a 17-17-3 record. The final score was 3-2 in favor of the Canadiens.

Game Highlights

The game started off strong for the Golden Knights as they netted two goals in the first period, setting an early pace for what seemed like a promising game ahead. However, as the match progressed into the second and third periods, momentum shifted towards the Canadiens who managed to score once in the second period and twice in the third. Despite numerous attempts by both teams to dominate play, it was Montreal's ability to capitalize on their opportunities that ultimately made the difference.

For Vegas Golden Knights fans, Zach Whitecloud stood out by scoring one of his team's two goals on his only shot of the game. Noah Hanifin also contributed significantly with a goal on one of his two shots. Their efforts were commendable but unfortunately not enough to secure a win for their team.

On defense and between pipes, Adin Hill made an impressive effort with 19 saves from 22 shots against him. His performance showcased his skills but fell just short due to Montreal's persistent offense.

Montreal’s Key Performers

Kirby Dach emerged as one of Montreal's stars by contributing crucially to their victory. Sam Montembeault also played a pivotal role as goaltender for Montreal by saving 27 out of 29 shots directed at him throughout various stages of play.

Montreal’s strategy did not rely heavily on power plays as evidenced by zero goals from such opportunities; however, their even-strength gameplay proved effective against Vegas’ lineup.

Looking Ahead

The Vegas Golden Knights are set to host Philadelphia Flyers at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on January 2nd at 10:00 PM EDT. Fans can catch this upcoming match through broadcasts available on ESPN+, SCRIPPS TV network or NBCS-PH+ among others.