And just like that, the Vegas Golden Knights are out of the playoffs.
Everything was going well on Tuesday night for the NHL’s newest team. Forward Max Pacioretty scored 3:36 into the third period to give the Knights a 3-0 lead and an inevitable date with the Colorado Avalanche in the second round.
Until the worst happened.
Off of a faceoff in Vegas’ own end, Cody cross-checked Sharks captain Joe Pavelski, which immediately was followed up by Paul Stastny sending him to the ground. Pavelski was forced to leave the game and Eakin was in turn handed a five minute cross-checking major. Remarkably, SJ went on to score FOUR consecutive power-play goals in just over four minutes to take the lead. Vegas forward Jonathan Marchessault eventually tied the game late in regulation, but with just minutes left in the first overtime period, Sharks forward Barclay Goodrow ended the series with a nifty moved around Marc-Andre Fleury.
Those watching could hardly believe what they just witnessed, and many expressed their displeasure with the call, including former NHLer Beau Bennett. The 27-year-old has been known to drop some… interesting Tweets (if you want to call it that) and shared his own take following the game.
While we’re sure a lot of people agree with Beau, the series’ supervisor Don vanMassenhoven offered up an explanation for the call.
Marchessault, on the other hand, was more on Beau’s side and couldn’t have been more rattled about the call. He offered some choice words after Vegas was sent home packing.
This one’s going to be talked about for a long, long time.
(H/T Beau Bennett)
