With 2 goals by Shea Theodore, the first a power-play goal and the second coming with Robin Lehner on the bench for the extra skater with just 48 seconds left on the clock, the VGK swept the entire 4-game road trip with yet another 65-minute game that needed yet another shootout before beating the NY Islanders by a score of 4-3 at UBS Arena.

The dice were stacked against the VGK on this road trip: 4 games in 6 nights in a time zone that had their body clocks off by 3 hours, plus yesterday’s start of 11 a.m. Pacific time. 

But this teamis nothing if not resilient and they found different ways to beat allfour teams.

Jonathan Marchessault had a very productive trip with 3 goals.Besides an empty-net goal vs. New Jersey, Marchessault scored the only goal inthe shootout against the Rangers that proved to be the game-winner. Yesterday,he opened the scoring by picking up a rebound that the Islander goaltendernever controlled from Zach Whitecloud’s shot from the point just shy of 7minutes into the game.

The Islanders drew even with a cross-ice pass from Brock Nelson thatturned into a PPG when it was deflected off the skate of Brayden McNabb.Robin Lehner made a good read on where the pass was headed, vacatinghis position on the left post and moving to his right. But when the puck hitMcNabb’s skate, it slipped through a tiny slot that Lehner left exposed. Badbreak for the VGK — and the pesky Islanders, who don’t give up alot of goals, were now tied 1-1 as the 1^st period ended. 

The 2^nd period was scoreless; the first goal scored in the 3^rd periodwould be important, as goals are few and far when these 2 teamsget together. The last time was on October 24, a 2-0 game at T-Mobile won byNew York. That was the game that created the VGK’s 4-game losing streak afterwinning their opening night game vs. Seattle. Since that game, Vegas has won 18of their last 25 for a record of 20-11-0, good enough to be sitting on top ofthe Pacific Division with 40 points after being as far back as 6^th place in October. 

Shea Theodore’s goal in the 3^rd period broke the1-1 tie. It was Theodore’s 5^th goal and first PPG of the season. As the quarterback ofthe 2^nd unit, Theodore’sshots from the point determine the success of the power play. His blast beatSorokin before he even had time to react and Vegas now had a 2-1 lead with14:14 left on the clock. 

The Islanders were not going away quietly and when they scored 2goals within 3:21 of each other with just 2:21 left, the stage was set for OHSHEA to score from almost the same spot as his first goal and sendanother game past the normal 60 minutes. Like in the game against the Rangers, nogoals were scored in OT.

DeBoer, playing the hot hand of Theodore, had him as the first shootoutshooter and Shea didn’t disappoint , beating Sorokin. Robin Lehner, whohas had his troubles in shootouts, stopped the first 2 shooters. Marchessaultdidn’t score in his attempt. Nicolas Roy swooped in on Sorokin and made a movethat left Sorokin and his jock strap somewhere in the first row. Roy’s goal endedthe game and locked up 8 points out of 8 for this road trip. Roy might be the VGK’sbest shootout player, which is why DeBoer uses him almost all of thetime. 

Speaking of playing hot hands, with Vegas trailing and needingoffensive production, the coaching staff put Theodore and Pietrangelo together.Normally, Hague plays with Pietrangelo and Shea plays with McNabb. Post-game,DeBoer said, “When you have 2 of the best defensemen in the world, it’s notrocket science putting them together.” He did credit his assistant coaches inmaking that move. Some coaches would have taken the credit here, but DeBoer isloyal to his assistant coaches and his words show that. 

Other game notes and quotes.

Mark Stone didn’t play yesterday, was out with an upper-bodyinjury. I didn’t see anything that would be cause for concern in theRanger game, but with a bad back, it can take something as minor as a sneeze totweak it out. 

“Ithink our game was starting to come around prior to the trip,” Vegas coachPeter DeBoer said. “I like how we’re playing; we’re starting toget healthy. I don’t think anyone ever predicts sweeping a four-gameroad trip, especially through these four cities, but I think it doesn’t justhappen like that. I think you build into it and I think ourgame was starting to trend in a good direction.” 

Robin Lehner made 29 saves for the Golden Knights, who now have won five in a row. It was Lehner’s first road game against the Islanders since he left as an unrestricted free agent after the 2018-19 season, Lehner won the Jennings Trophy with the Islanders that season,  also winning it with Marc-Andre Fleury last year with the VGK. The Islanders honored Lehner with a video tribute in the first period. He was emotional in his post-game comments about the Islanders and their fans, but especially GM Lou Lamoriello; in a sign of ultimate respect for Lou, Lehner shaved his facial hair. He went on to say, “That’s Lou’s rule and I was in Lou’s house.” You have to respect Panda and how he goes about his life both personally and on the ice. How do you not embrace this guy? 

“It’s so much more thanhockey to me, I can’t explain it,” Lehner said. “It’s the love I havefor the guys there, this team, the organization, the fans, how they helped mewith my life.” 

The Islandersactually scored another goal in the 3rd period that was challenged by theVGK coaching staff for being offside. After review, the goal was removed fromthe scoreboard. If the challenge was wrong, the goal would have stood and Vegaswould have been issued a delay of game penalty which would mostlikely have changed the outcome of the game.

My 3stars of the game: Shea Theodore (2G, and another in the shootout, and 5SOG), Jonathan Marchessault (1G and 5 SOG) , IlyaSorokin (31 saves on 34 shots, with a number against high-danger scoringchances that kept the Islanders in the game enough to pick up an importantpoint in their division) 

Next gameis tomorrow vs. the defending Stanley Cup Champion TampaBay Lightning at T-Mobile @ 7p.m. Pacific time 

Your comments and opinions are welcome here at Las Vegas Advisoror you may contact me directly at [email protected] or on my Facebook page or the Facebook page of VegasHockey Guy or on Twitter @TheRealJoePane   

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One othernote: If you’re reading this blog from Facebook or Twitter and wouldlike to access it earlier in the morning before I share it on socialmedia, it’s usually published by 8 a.m. the morning after a game onLasVegasAdvisor.com. What better way is there to enjoy your morning coffee thanreading my take on last night’s VGK game. 

Marchessault opens the scoring

Theodore’s PPG

Shea ties the game at 3-3 with time running out

Video tribute to Robin Lehner from the NY Islanders