After winning in Winnipeg, the Maple Leafs headed south to pretty much the exact opposite city, Las Vegas.
The Golden Knights held a pre-game ceremony honoring former Maple Leaf Phil Kessel for tying the NHLs iron man streak for longest consecutive game streak.
The Knights come out strong, demanding they win this game for Phil.
Samsonov robs Jack Eichel
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 25, 2022
what a stop pic.twitter.com/7KoyZIyaSz
Things seem to be going Phil's way at the start as Kessel scores his 400th goal early in the game when the Knights get a power play when the Leafs get their favourite penalty: Too Many Men On the Ice.
The Leafs challenge the goal, saying Vegas was offside. The challenge is successful, Kessel goes back down to 399, and now he's motivated to get it back.
Kessel's reaction to the offside call pic.twitter.com/DjLFQrPLWm
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 25, 2022
It doesn’t take long for Vegas to get the lead back when Nicholas Roy gets one past Samsonov after a scramble in front of the net.
Nicolas Roy bats the puck out of the air and scores pic.twitter.com/cwErkI6Bw8
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 25, 2022
The Knights keep on coming, and Samsonov makes a save but the puck trickles behind him towards an open net and Sandin comes in to make the save.
Sandin saves a goal pic.twitter.com/V4G9DUESTQ
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 25, 2022
Is there even a goalie on the ice for Vegas?
oh my pic.twitter.com/41eVZKDnnF
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 25, 2022
It’s hard to tell because the majority of the first period is spent in the Leafs end. There’s nothing going on for Toronto tonight.
Samsonov is getting lit up early
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 25, 2022
all the turnovers... pic.twitter.com/1T4AfAlgaX
Away teams should go out and stay far, far, from the city when they play the Knights. Go out to Rachel and camp in the desert and only let the players have fun in town if you win.
Auston Matthews has a glimpse of of what he could be and gets a shot on net, but it’s stopped. So far Logan Thompson is a perfect three for three on saves. We also got this and...what?
Kyle Clifford almost scored off his shin pic.twitter.com/BZtCwU8iwp
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 25, 2022
There’s a huge scramble in front of the Vegas net, Thompson’s caught out of position and a Vegas defender slides into net. Crowds on their feet, Toronto has remembered they’re talented and pushing for a goal. Nothing goes in, but it’s a brief glimpse of what we should be seeing all game.
how in the blue hell did they not score here!? pic.twitter.com/NM5rccmnXx
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 25, 2022
Matthews came that close to tying it
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 25, 2022
what an effort from Logan Thompson pic.twitter.com/SXDaT10cGM
The Leafs get a late first period power play when Rielly Smith is called for tripping William Nylander. The Leafs do some good passing, but don’t get a goal on that power play.
Tavares just missed this tap in pic.twitter.com/xWNedRChE2
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 25, 2022
The first period ends with Vegas winning 1-0, but the Leafs battled back in the final five to get the shots up to 9-8 in Vegas’ favour.
Both teams get some good shots at the start of the second, but Vegas continues to out play the Leafs - aside from Ilya Samsonov who continues to make the necessary saves.
Ilya Samsonov is keeping the Leafs in it pic.twitter.com/SFoWy5q5Wn
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 25, 2022
Mitch Marner gets out on a breakaway, but ends out surrounded by Knights and can’t take advantage. This follows Nylander and Tavares combining to also almost score.
Marner gets the breakaway but has his shot ring off the post pic.twitter.com/4JuEb1QajV
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 25, 2022
The Vegas Golden Knights get another power play after Mark Giordano is called for slashing Kessel. Nothing for Vegas this time as the Leafs PK stands tall.
*Following the penalty expiring John Tavares and William Nylander team up to finish off what they started and Nylander scores to tie the game.
WILLIAM NYLANDER 🚨
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 25, 2022
IT'S TIED IN VEGAS pic.twitter.com/u6p6iplGmC
All tied up after two. Shots are 20-18 for Vegas.
The Leafs tying the game doesn’t matter for long as the Knights get another minute of offense to start the third period and Chandler Stephenson scores to give Vegas back the lead.
Stephenson puts the Golden Knights up early in the third pic.twitter.com/ZiVQWmjQNQ
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 25, 2022
Vegas keeps pouring on the offense, and the Leafs can’t keep them at bay at all this game. Four minutes into the third and the Leafs have yet to get a shot off.
the signs of a goal were coming before it was even scored
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 25, 2022
messy play in the defensive zone pic.twitter.com/yW5Zxluhug
Ilya Samsonov continues to be the most challenged player tonight. He’s keeping the Leafs in this game.
Samsonov gets 1st, 2nd, and 3rd star if they pull this off pic.twitter.com/I8DX5Hm1rH
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 25, 2022
John Tavares gets hit in the knee by a Rasmus Sandin point shot, and goes down hard on the ice. He’s down for a while, and the trainers come out. Robertson and Nylander skate him off the ice with no pressure being put on the injured leg.
Tavares takes a Sandin slapshot off the knee
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 25, 2022
man... pic.twitter.com/ImTSYahjJv
not putting any weight on that leg pic.twitter.com/ryUugiBFvH
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 25, 2022
Victor Mete chases Nic Hague into the Leafs end and that leaves former Maple Leaf Mike Amadio open in the slot, he gets Hague’s pass and puts the Knights up 3-1.
former Leaf Michael Amadio scores because former Leaf pic.twitter.com/18nLfIiYpF
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 25, 2022
The Knights continue to control this fame and the Leafs help build a Calder Trophy case for Logan Thompson by being completely inadequate. Then they take a penalty - Kerfoot goes for tripping. No goal for the Knights on this power play and while they were distracting everyone, John Tavares returned to the Leafs bench and jumped back onto the ice after the next whistle.
Tavares is okay! pic.twitter.com/WqpjBVFnPQ
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 25, 2022
The Maple Leafs try to push for offense and have Matthews playing on the back end while the second line is out. The shift quickly ends, but it’s an idea. The Leafs pull Samsonov with over three minutes remaining.
Michael Bunting gets clipped by a high stick and the Leafs get a power play with the clock ticking down.
McNabb lifts Bunting's stick and it hits him in the face pic.twitter.com/en3HqfjHDw
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 25, 2022
The Leafs take their time protecting the puck, and Matthews fakes a shot and send it to Nylander who gets it off, but no goal. Pass, pass, pass, pass, shoot and the rebound is bounced down the ice.
The Knights keep clearing but the Leafs keep coming back in and keep passing the puck. No goal on the powerplay so we go from six on four to six on five with an empty Leafs net.
No goal with the net empty for either team and this game finally ends with the Golden Knights win the game 3-1.
A terrible game for Toronto, but right in line with how they’ve played most of this season so far. The California teams are next, San Jose at 10:30 Thursday night.
I’m not going to complain anymore. It’s almost 1AM.
Good night everyone, I won’t see you Thursday because no chance I stay up again for more of this.