3 takeaways from Knights’ loss: Third-period rally falls short

Almost every Golden Knights skater on the ice was doubled over by the end.

They threw everything they had at the Buffalo Sabres late Monday night. They created breakaways. Three power plays. A penalty shot. They just didn’t finish enough.

The Knights trailed 3-0 to the Sabres after giving up three goals on seven shots in the second period, but tried to stage a rally in the third. One 6-on-5 goal from left wing Reilly Smith got them within 3-2 with 2:22 remaining. They got no closer.

The Sabres hung on to win in front of an announced crowd of 17,808 at T-Mobile Arena, their first-ever victory in the building.

The Knights failed to score more than two goals for the seventh consecutive home game despite outshooting the Sabres 43-18. They’re 1-6 at T-Mobile Arena in that span, while being outscored 25-10.

“Thank God we’re winning on the road because our home record is pretty atrocious,” Smith said. “We’ve done a good job putting ourselves in a good spot, but we have to start picking up some wins because teams will catch us and it’s easy to slip.”

Monday seemed like a great opportunity for the Knights’ NHL-worst home offense to get on track.

Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen entered the game with an .876 save percentage and 3.75 goals-against average. He hadn’t allowed fewer than two goals in his first eight starts, and gave up four or more four times.

The Knights (22-11-1) struggled to put one past him most of the game. They had 16 high-danger chances, according to the website Natural Stat Trick, tied for their sixth-highest total of the season, but they only scored once before pulling goaltender Adin Hill.

“If we bury half of those chances we had, it’s a different game,” center Chandler Stephenson said. “(Luukkonen) played unbelievably for them and pucks just seemed to keep hitting him.”

The Sabres (16-14-2) didn’t get as many looks as the Knights, but they took advantage of the ones they did create.

Original Misfit Alex Tuch set up left wing Jeff Skinner 1:53 into the second period to put Buffalo ahead 1-0. The Sabres struck again 5:22 later after the Knights turned the puck over in the defensive zone. Center Tage Thompson got to the right circle, patiently moved around sliding defenseman Nic Hague and fired a wrist shot past Hill to make it 2-0.

A blast from the point from defenseman Lawrence Pilut increased the Sabres’ lead to 3-0 with 6:32 left until the second intermission. Center Peyton Krebs, who was traded to Buffalo with Tuch for center Jack Eichel, got a secondary assist on the goal.

The Knights pushed back in the third, even forcing Buffalo to call a timeout 2:47 into the period after two great shifts. Stephenson scored 1:07 later to make it 3-1. Right wing Jonathan Marchessault got a penalty shot with 6:57 remaining that was saved. Smith scored.

The Knights couldn’t find a third goal despite firing 23 third-period shots.

“We just didn’t find enough goals,” Smith said. “That’s pretty much all it came down to because the chances were there.”

Here are three takeaways from the loss:

1. Kessel’s night

Phil Kessel, who started the game at first-line left wing with Stephenson and Stone, was moved to the third line in the second period.

His last shift with Stephenson and Stone came on Thompson’s goal. Kessel didn’t receive a breakout pass from defenseman Ben Hutton cleanly and defenseman Casey Fitzgerald pinched to keep the puck in the zone. Fitzgerald then passed it to Thompson.

Kessel finished with 8:35 of ice time, the third-lowest total on the Knights. He got two shifts in the third period totaling 40 seconds.

“He hasn’t been strong on pucks on that side of the ice,” Cassidy said. “Hasn’t finished plays. So at the end of the day, again, when you’re behind, you try something else.”

1. Top-line magic

Any member of the Sabres’ first line of Skinner, Thompson and Tuch would lead the Knights in points.

It’s no surprise then, that the group was a huge part of Buffalo’s win. Thompson’s goal was his 26th. Only Edmonton’s Connor McDavid (28) has more.

Thompson is also third in the NHL with 50 points. Skinner has 36 and Tuch has 35.

3. Stephenson stays hot

Center Jack Eichel missed the Knights’ second game against his former team with a lower-body injury, but Stephenson capably filled the role of top-line center.

Stephenson’s goal gave him eight points in his last five games. His point streak started when Eichel left the lineup, forcing him to move to the middle from left wing.

Stephenson finished the season series with Buffalo with five points in two games.

Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.