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Golden Knights at Blues
NHL

Vegas Golden Knights at St. Louis Blues

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Recap

written from the game data

The Vegas Golden Knights beat the St. Louis Blues 4-1. The Golden Knights scored first and never trailed. The Golden Knights led 3-0 after two periods. The biggest swing in win probability was Brandon Saad's goal at 12:52 of the first period, which took the Golden Knights' chances from 46% to 60%. Expected goals favored the Golden Knights, 3.0 to 1.6; shots on goal were VGK 34, STL 23. With league-average goaltending at both ends, the Golden Knights win a replay of these chances 75% of the time. Akira Schmid stopped 22 of 23 (.957), 0.6 goals saved above expected; Joel Hofer stopped 30 of 34 (.882), 1.0 goals below expected. Three stars: 1. Braeden Bowman (1 G), 2. Reilly Smith (2 A), 3. Brandon Saad (1 G).

Three stars

  1. ★
    VGK
    B. Bowman1 G
  2. ★★
    VGK
    R. Smith2 A
  3. ★★★
    VGK
    B. Saad1 G

Line score

goals · shots on goal beneath
Goals and shots on goal by period
Team1st2nd3rdT
VGKVGK21311516434
STLSTL080718123

Scoring

5 goals

1st period

  1. VGK
    wristxG 0.20win prob +14 ptsVideo
    1-0
    12:52
  2. VGK
    B. Bowman(1)PPG
    tip-inxG 0.13win prob +12 ptsVideo
    2-0
    14:58

2nd period

  1. VGK
    slapxG 0.03win prob +11 ptsVideo
    3-0
    0:36

3rd period

  1. VGK
    wristxG 0.11win prob +1 ptsVideo
    4-0
    11:20
  2. STL
    wristxG 0.02Video
    4-1
    15:57

Penalties

VGK 4 PIM·STL 6 PIM

1st

  • 14:25STLNick Bjugstad · Trippingdrawn by Cole Reinhardt2 min

2nd

  • 17:02STLNathan Walker · High sticking double minordrawn by Colton Sissons4 min

3rd

  • 1:32VGKBrandon Saad · Hookingdrawn by Jordan Kyrou2 min
  • 8:35VGKBrayden McNabb · Trippingdrawn by Brayden Schenn2 min

Win probability

ours · the whole game
Tap or hover the chart for the moment-by-moment number
STL goalVGK goalFinal: STL 0%

Biggest swing: Brandon Saad, 1st 12:52 — VGK 46% → 60%

Shot map

unblocked attempts · size = our xG
J. Snuggerud · Missed · xG 0.22P. Buchnevich · On goal · xG 0.12N. Bjugstad · On goal · xG 0.11D. Dvorsky · Missed · xG 0.11J. Snuggerud · On goal · xG 0.08A. Toropchenko · On goal · xG 0.07R. Thomas · On goal · xG 0.07P. Suter · On goal · xG 0.06P. Broberg · On goal · xG 0.06N. Walker · On goal · xG 0.06J. Kyrou · Missed · xG 0.05C. Parayko · On goal · xG 0.05J. Snuggerud · On goal · xG 0.05P. Buchnevich · Missed · xG 0.05P. Suter · On goal · xG 0.05C. Fowler · On goal · xG 0.05N. Bjugstad · Missed · xG 0.04R. Thomas · On goal · xG 0.04J. Kyrou · On goal · xG 0.04T. Tucker · On goal · xG 0.03P. Broberg · Goal · xG 0.02P. Buchnevich · On goal · xG 0.02P. Suter · Missed · xG 0.02N. Bjugstad · Missed · xG 0.02J. Faulk · Missed · xG 0.01J. Faulk · On goal · xG 0.01N. Walker · Missed · xG 0.01M. Kessel · Missed · xG 0.01N. Bjugstad · On goal · xG 0.01O. Sundqvist · On goal · xG 0.01C. Fowler · On goal · xG 0.01O. Sundqvist · On goal · xG 0.01J. Faulk · Missed · xG 0.01T. Tucker · On goal · xG 0.00
STL1 G · 1.6 xG · 34 att
Tap a shot for who, when and how likely
GoalOn goalMissedBigger = higher xG

Expected goals

VGKvsSTL
3.04 G
All situations
1 G1.6
2.23 G
Even strength
1 G1.2
0.81 G
Power play
0 G0.4

Expected goals: the chance each unblocked attempt scores, from our shot model, summed. 89 unblocked attempts.

Deserve to win

on the chances created
VGK75%25%STL

Flurry-adjusted xG 2.98 – 1.55

How often each side wins a replay of these chances with league-average goaltending at both ends. Rebounds in a flurry are counted once, so a scramble is not three chances.

Team stats

VGKvsSTL
34
Shots on goal
23
50%
Faceoffs
50%
1/3
Power play
0/2
4
Penalty minutes
6
12
Hits
24
11
Blocked shots
15
22
Giveaways
16
4
Takeaways
3

Box score

every player line
Vegas Golden Knights skaters
SkaterGAP+/-SOGixGHitBlkPIMFO%TOI
15N. HanifinD101+130.17030—23:37
27S. TheodoreD000+140.11100—21:42
3B. McNabbD000020.09132—21:06
2Z. WhitecloudD011+100.00120—19:58
9J. EichelC011-120.250004519:39
93M. MarnerR000+130.270003319:23
6K. KorczakD000020.03220—19:01
16P. DorofeyevR022+130.23100—17:45
48T. HertlC101+130.440104217:32
42B. BowmanR101-140.55000—16:08
49I. BarbashevL000-110.28000—14:54
21B. HowdenC011+220.100005014:19
19R. SmithR022+200.05000—14:08
55K. KolesarR000010.01300—12:58
20B. SaadL101+220.22002—12:22
10C. SissonsC000000.001007811:55
23C. ReinhardtL000010.191005011:31
5J. LauzonD000+110.03100—08:02
Vegas Golden Knights goalies
GoalieSASVGASV%xGAGSAxTOI
40A. Schmid(W)23221.9571.57+0.5760:00

Season series

VGK leads 2-1

Data: NHL. Model: Gridpex (expected goals and win probability built on NHL play-by-play).