Golden Knights report: William Karlsson’s hair honored in poll
Golden Knights vs. Blackhawks
Blackhawks win 4-3, SO
RJ’s three stars
3. Blackhawks goalie Kevin Lankinen — It was quantity over quality, as he finished with 37 saves and faced little more than a handful of high-danger chances. He then stopped all seven attempts in the shootout.
2. Knights forward Chandler Stephenson — He assisted on all three goals to extend his point streak to five games and is up to 64 points, tying Jonathan Marchessault for the team scoring lead.
1. Blackhawks forward Taylor Raddysh — Had his first career two-goal game and was denied his hat trick midway through the third period by Logan Thompson. He finished with a game-high eight shots on goal.
Key play
The shootout.
While the Knights were in the process of losing their third straight shootout, Dallas simultaneously reached overtime to clinch a playoff spot, making it all moot.
But it doesn’t excuse the Knights being blanked for seven rounds and failing to hold up their end of the bargain to keep their slim postseason hopes alive.
Mark Stone and Jack Eichel were turned away on wrist shots before Shea Theodore’s familiar backhand move was stopped by Lankinen. Stephenson missed the net, followed by Marchessault and Max Pacioretty, each of whom saw their shots saved.
Michael Amadio had the final chance, but he couldn’t convert a backhand attempt.
In the past three games, the Knights went 0-for-17 in the shootout.
Key stat
3-3-4 — The Knights’ record in their past 10 games with their season on the line, a disappointing run that sealed the fate of this underachieving group.
Player poll
The NHL Players’ Association released its annual player poll, and forward William Karlsson was voted with having the second-best hair in the league behind former teammate Cody Eakin of the Buffalo Sabres.
Las Vegas was voted the best road city to spend an off day, garnering 30.6 percent of the vote. New York City was second with 17 percent.
T-Mobile Arena was voted the fourth-best ice in the league, tying Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota, with 5.8 percent of the vote. That’s down from 2019-20 when the Knights home garnered 8.7 percent of the vote and was the top ice surface among rinks in the U.S.
Final game
At St. Louis, 5 p.m. Friday
Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.
