Senators send Golden Knights to third straight loss, 5-4

Las Vegas Review-Journal

7 years ago

Ottawa Senators left wing Tom Pyatt (10) dives to a puck as Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nate Schmidt (88) flies past during the first period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 2, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/L.E. Baskow)

The Vegas Golden Knights celebrate their first goal over the Ottawa Senators during the first period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 2, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/L.E. Baskow)

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brad Hunt (77) battles to get to the puck below Ottawa Senators center Jim O’Brien (40) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 2, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/L.E. Baskow)

Ottawa Senators left wing Tom Pyatt (10) dives to a puck as Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nate Schmidt (88) flies past during the first period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 2, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/L.E. Baskow)

Ottawa Senators left wing Tom Pyatt (10) fights for control of the puck with Vegas Golden Knights right wing Reilly Smith (19) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 2, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/L.E. Baskow)

Ottawa Senators defenseman Cody Ceci (5) looks to the puck as Vegas Golden Knights center Jonathan Marchessault (81) tumbles behind him during the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 2, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/L.E. Baskow)

Ottawa Senators goaltender Craig Anderson (41) makes a save against the Vegas Golden Knights during the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 2, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/L.E. Baskow)

Vegas Golden Knights left wing Tomas Tatar (90) is sent into the net by Ottawa Senators center Matt Duchene (95), who was penalized during the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 2, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/L.E. Baskow)

Ottawa Senators left wing Zack Smith (15) is sandwiched between Vegas Golden Knights defensemen Shea Theodore (27) and Colin Miller (6) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 2, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/L.E. Baskow)

Ottawa Senators left wing Magnus Paajarvi (56) looks for a shot attempt with Vegas Golden Knights left wing Erik Haula (56) on his back during the third period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 2, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/L.E. Baskow)

Ottawa Senators center Matt Duchene (95) continues to hit the puck after being taken down from behind by Vegas Golden Knights center Cody Eakin (21) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 2, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/L.E. Baskow)

Ottawa Senators right wing Alexandre Burrows (14) celebrates goal against Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleurylate in the third period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 2, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/L.E. Baskow)

Ottawa Senators right wing Alexandre Burrows (14) celebrates his goal against Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury late in the third period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 2, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/L.E. Baskow)

Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant sounded an alarm early Friday when he called Ottawa a “dangerous” team.

The Senators showed why hours later.

Ottawa’s Alex Burrows scored 8:51 into the third period and the Knights were unable to overcome a slow start in a 5-4 loss to the lowly Senators before an announced crowd of 18,269 at T-Mobile Arena.

“I think we got out-competed tonight,” Gallant said. “We didn’t work hard enough and we had one line going. You’re not going to win many games like that. You can look at one thing, but it wasn’t one thing. We weren’t ready to compete.”

The Knights (41-18-5, 87 points) dropped their third straight, equaling their longest losing streak of the season, and remained eight points ahead of San Jose in the Pacific Division.

Ryan Carpenter and William Karlsson scored in the third period to tie the game at 4. Reilly Smith and Colin Miller had goals in the first period for the Knights, who begin a five-game road trip Sunday at New Jersey.

The Knights dropped both games of a home-and-home with Los Angeles this week and fell flat against Ottawa, which had lost five straight and entered with an NHL-low seven road victories.

“I think our game’s just slipping a bit. We have to get back to the basics,” Knights defenseman Shea Theodore said. “The playoff race coming down the stretch is going to be tight for points and we have to play a lot better hockey.”

Bobby Ryan had a goal and two assists and defenseman Erik Karlsson added three assists for Ottawa (22-31-10, 54 points).

Ottawa’s Mark Stone scored and had a spectacular assist to spring Ryan for his breakaway goal early in the second. Matt Duchene (power play) and Jean-Gabriel Pageau also scored in the second for the Senators.

The Knights trailed 4-2 entering the third period but scored twice in the opening 7:55 to nearly steal a point.

Karlsson beat Ottawa goaltender Craig Anderson through the five-hole at 3:25 of the third. Carpenter added a short-handed goal to tie the game at 4.

But Burrows, in his first game back after a 10-game suspension, deflected in Erik Karlsson’s shot less than a minute after Carpenter’s goal.

“It was good that we showed some character, but that’s not the type of game that we want to play and we’ve been playing to have success, myself included,” Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury said. “We can’t be losing these games now.”

The Knights were 18-4-1 when leading after the first period, but allowed three unanswered goals in the second period despite outshooting Ottawa 18-17.

Jonathan Marchessault had the Knights’ best chance but was stopped on a breakaway with 11:30 remaining in the period.

The Knights scored on their first shot of the game, then went more than 15 minutes without a shot on goal against Anderson.

After Karlsson forced a turnover at the Ottawa blue line, Jonathan Marchessault quickly found Smith alone in front for a backhander 58 seconds into the first period.

The Knights didn’t register another shot on goal until Marchessault’s wrister from the left wing with 3:27 remaining, but went ahead 2-1 at the end of a power play when Miller sent a wrist shot through traffic with 1:36 remaining in the first.

“There’s just no excuse for us. We’re hockey players. It’s a hard job, but everybody needs to be ready,” Marchessault said. “Today was just not good. Our last game was not good. We can’t just leave (Fleury) out there to try to save us.

“The first period was embarrassing. We got three shots on net. What does that say for this group? You can’t expect to win if you only play 20 or 40 minutes a game.”

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Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.