TC Martin

VGK Opens Finals with Wild Win  

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What was expected to be a Stanely Cup Finals featuring few goals and a defensive battle turned out to be anything but that in Game 1 on Tuesday night.  In front of a raucous red clad crowd in Raleigh, the Vegas Golden Knights outslugged and outlasted the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4 in a wild Stanley Cup Finals opener. 

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Both teams came into the series winning their previous matchups with bruising defense and great goal tending.  Neither showed up in this contest as it only took 25 seconds for the scoring fest to get underway.  Nikoliaj Ehlers lit the lamp for Carolina to score the game's first goal on the first shot.  It was 1-0 before the Carolina crowd took their seat.  

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Midway through the first period Ehlers did it again and the Hurricanes had ambushed the Knights for two quick goals and just like that it looked to be a Carolina rout. 

 

However, Vegas had been here before.  In their previous series against Colorado, the Knights trailed 2-0 in Game 2 only to score three unanswered goals to win that contest.  It was Deja vu as that is exactly what happened here. 

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One minute after the second Ehlers goal, Shea Theodore scored to give the Knights some life to trail 2-1 at the end of the first period.  The second period started similar to the first as a goal was scored in the first 30 seconds.  This time it was Vegas as Ivan Barbashev scored to tie the game at 2-2.  

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The Knights added one more four minutes later when William Karlsson put Vegas ahead 3-2 with a spectacular goal.  Carolina, who looked stunned by the Vegas onslaught finally responded with a goal by Jordan Stall to tie the game 3-3.  

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In the third period it was more of the same with shots aplenty.  Brett Howden put the Knights back on top 1:21 after the intermission.  Ten minutes later Shayne Gostisbehere tied it back it up for Carolina.  With the score 4-4 and seemingly destined for overtime, the Knights struck again. 

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Tomas Hertl took a spectacular backhand pass from Colton Sissons and beat Frederik Andersen for a riveting goal with 3:24 left in the game to clinch the victory for the Golden Knights. 

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"I've said it all through the playoffs: it's a find-a-way league, said Vegas coach John Tortorella said. "We found a way tonight."  This is exactly what the Golden Knights have been doing since Tortorella took over with eight games remaining in the regular season.  Vegas is now 13-4 in the playoffs and winners in 20 of their last 25 games. 

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Game 2 will be back in Carolina on Thursday night as the Knights will attempt to take a commanding 2-0 series lead before the action shifts to Vegas for Games 3 and 4 next week.