The Vegas Golden Knights’ problems at home deepened Wednesday afternoon, as another fast start dissolved into another familiar outcome. Vegas jumped out to an early two-goal lead but surrendered four unanswered goals in a 4-2 loss to the Nashville Predators at T-Mobile Arena, continuing a troubling trend of blown advantages and uneven play on home ice.
“Too many goals are going in. That’s the bottom line,” coach Bruce Cassidy said Tuesday. “Whether it’s goalies making saves or us being better in front of them, it’s on the group to fix it, not one player.”
A fast start, then a familiar slip
Vegas looked poised for a strong first period before the game turned sharply.
Mark Stone opened the scoring with a power-play tip-in at 5:35, and Ben Hutton made it 2-0 at 9:06 with his sixth goal of the season, a career high, coming off consecutive Golden Knights shots.
Then the momentum flipped quickly. Nashville scored three goals in a 5:01 span, cutting the lead at 11:20 before Steven Stamkos tied the game at 15:37 with his 600th career NHL goal. A deflection goal at 16:21 sent the Predators into the intermission with a 3-2 lead. Vegas entered the night having lost five of its last six games and again let a two-goal advantage slip away.
Vegas’ grip loosened as the period wore on. The two-goal lead vanished quickly, marking the second time in the past six games the Golden Knights have surrendered a multi-goal advantage, after also letting two-goal leads slip away against Colorado earlier in the stretch. What should have been a period of control instead left Vegas chasing the game before the first intermission.
Penalty trouble, no push back
Vegas could not claw its way back in a choppy second period and instead saw the margin grow.
The Golden Knights generated chances and held their own territorially, but Nashville extended the lead at 8:08 when Michael Bunting scored on the power play to make it 4-2. A prolonged penalty sequence involving Keegan Kolesar disrupted Vegas’ rhythm and stalled any sustained response, leaving the Golden Knights chasing the game again as the period wound down.
All push, no payoff
Vegas pushed hard in the third period but never found the finish.
The Golden Knights controlled play for most of the final 20 minutes, outshooting Nashville 18-3 and spending extended time in the offensive zone. Pucks came from the points, rebounds sat in the slot, and traffic built in front, but Nashville goaltender Justus Annunen turned aside every look.
A penalty shot midway through the period, drawn by Cole Smith and stopped by Annunen, captured the night. Even with momentum and volume on their side, Vegas could not convert. Nashville stayed compact, blocked lanes, and limited second chances as the clock wound down.
Vegas finished with 31 shots, including 18 in the third, but the damage done earlier left no margin. The late push arrived, but the goals never followed.
Still searching for answers
The loss dropped Vegas to 17-9-11 on the season and continued a stretch in which early leads and strong starts have failed to translate into results, particularly at home. With a three-game road trip looming, the Golden Knights leave Las Vegas searching for answers to issues that continue to surface before games ever reach the third period.
Up next for the Golden Knights:
The Vegas Golden Knights (17-9-11) begin a three-game road trip Friday, Jan. 2, visiting the St. Louis Blues (15-17-8) at 3 p.m. EST.
Vegas continues the trip Sunday, Jan. 4, against the Chicago Blackhawks (14-18-7) with puck drop set for 7 p.m. EST.
The road swing wraps Tuesday, Jan. 6, when the Golden Knights face the Winnipeg Jets (15-18-4) at 8 p.m. EST.
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