Golden Knights Week: A Three-Game Skid, a Leaky Penalty Kill, a Nevada Day Matinee, $5 Beer Fridays in Henderson, and Karlsson's Record Chase

by Ryan Rose

What Happened This Week in Las Vegas Hockey

Tampa Bay 6, Vegas 2 (Tuesday, Oct. 20, T-Mobile Arena). The last game of the homestand went the wrong way. Ivan Barbashev scored his first goal of the season, and captain Mark Stone scored a shorthanded goal. But Anthony Cirelli scored twice for the Lightning, and Nikita Kucherov tied a Lightning team record. Carter Hart made 15 saves for Vegas. The crowd was 17,017. The loss dropped Vegas to 8-3-0.

St. Louis 6, Vegas 2 (Thursday, Oct. 22, St. Louis). The road trip opened with another 6-2 final. Brett Howden scored his fifth goal of the season, and Jack Eichel also scored. Adin Hill made 25 saves. For the Blues, Justin Barron had four points and Dylan Holloway scored twice. NHL.com pointed out an odd streak: it was the fourth straight Vegas game to end 6-2. The first two were wins over Calgary and Pittsburgh. The last two were losses.

Columbus 2, Vegas 1, overtime (Saturday, Oct. 24, Columbus). This one was close. Tomas Hertl tied the game late in the first period, with assists from Braeden Bowman and rookie Trevor Connelly. Neither team scored again in regulation. Then Adam Fantilli won it on a power play just 59 seconds into overtime. Carter Hart made 18 saves. Vegas did earn a point for reaching overtime, which moved the team to 8-4-1 and 17 points.

The scoring dried up too. Vegas scored just five goals across the three games this week, after back-to-back six-goal wins the week before. Saturday's game was decided by one bad break on special teams. The winning goal was Columbus's first power-play goal in 23 chances, according to the team's recap.

The other goalies were sharp. In the Tampa Bay game, Andrei Vasilevskiy made 32 saves for the Lightning, according to NHL.com, and Tampa improved to 7-2-0. In St. Louis, Blues goalie Joel Hofer made 27 saves.

Mitch Marner missed two games for a family reason. Marner sat out the games in St. Louis and Columbus to be with his wife for the birth of their second child, according to NHL.com. Before the trip, Marner had 12 points, with 2 goals and 10 assists, which was third on the team, according to the team's Oct. 24 Morning Skate Report. That is a lot of offense to lose for two games, and it helps explain why the goals were harder to come by. With Marner out, Connelly moved up to the top line with Eichel and Stone in Columbus. Congratulations to the Marner family.

Golden Knights captain Mark Stone sets up in front of the Tampa Bay Lightning net at T-Mobile Arena during the 6-2 loss on Oct. 20

Why Vegas Is Losing: The Penalty Kill and the Goaltending

The penalty kill. SinBin.vegas, the local hockey site, reported on Oct. 23 that the Vegas penalty kill was working just 67.9 percent of the time. That was fifth-worst in the NHL. Vegas had allowed a power-play goal in four straight games through Oct. 22, with five power-play goals allowed in those four games. SinBin called it the team's worst penalty-killing stretch since December 2023. Then Columbus won Saturday's game on a power play, which pushed the streak to five straight games. SinBin also noted that defenseman Brayden McNabb was on the ice for seven of the nine power-play goals Vegas had allowed. Noah Hanifin was a bright spot, and Vegas has three shorthanded goals of its own, among the most in the league.

The goaltending. In a separate SinBin.vegas story on Oct. 24, the team's save percentage stood at .885. That ranked 19th in the NHL, below the league average of .892. Vegas was also 0-4 in games where it allowed four or more goals. Carter Hart and Adin Hill both carry .904 career save percentages, so the story's point was simple: Vegas needs both goalies to play closer to their normal level.

SinBin wrote that story after a big trade elsewhere in the league. On Oct. 23, the Winnipeg Jets traded star goalie Connor Hellebuyck to the New Jersey Devils. NHL.com confirmed the deal. That matters here because the Devils are the team Vegas hosts on Nevada Day.

This Week by the Numbers

Here is the week in a few quick figures, all from the sources listed at the bottom of this post:

8-4-1: the Golden Knights' record through Oct. 24, with 17 points.
0-2-1: the team's record this week, down from 8-2-0.
4: straight Vegas games that ended with a 6-2 score.
59 seconds: how long it took Columbus to win in overtime.
67.9 percent: the penalty kill rate as of Oct. 23, fifth-worst in the NHL.
.885: the team save percentage, 19th in the league, per SinBin.vegas on Oct. 24.
4-3-0-0: the Henderson Silver Knights' record after the Tucson weekend.
$5: the price of a 16-ounce Michelob Ultra at Silver Knights Friday home games.

A Golden Knights defenseman carries the puck past a St. Louis Blues forward during Vegas's 6-2 loss in St. Louis on Oct. 22

Why It Matters to Las Vegas Residents

The Golden Knights are more than a team here. They are something neighbors talk about at the gym, in the school pickup line, and at the HOA pool. A three-game skid after a hot start gets people talking, and some fans are worried. The numbers above show what to watch: if the penalty kill and the saves get better, the results should follow.

The bigger local news for families is the schedule. The Golden Knights host the New Jersey Devils on Friday, Oct. 30, at 3 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena. That is Nevada Day, a state holiday, and a school holiday. A daytime home game on a day off is about as easy as it gets for parents with young kids. No late night, no school the next morning. The team's theme night page also lists a specially designed Nevada Day jersey that players will sign, and the jerseys will be auctioned.

There is also the Hellebuyck angle. He just joined the Devils, so fans will be watching to see if he is in net. NHL.com has said there is no set timetable for his Devils debut, so nobody knows yet whether he will play in Las Vegas. If you go, you will find out with everyone else.

Down in Henderson, the Silver Knights give families a cheaper, closer option. Lee's Family Forum is the home of Vegas's top minor league team, the AHL affiliate. Starting Oct. 23, the team began selling $5 cans of 16-ounce Michelob Ultra at every Friday home game of the regular season. For Henderson and Green Valley families, that is a short drive and a fun night out.

Henderson Silver Knights: A Weekend Split With Tucson

The Silver Knights hosted the Tucson Roadrunners twice at Lee's Family Forum. On Friday, Oct. 23, Henderson won 2-1 in overtime. Jeremy Davies scored in regulation, and Matyas Sapovaliv scored the game-winner about one minute into overtime, according to the Roadrunners' recap. Tucson outshot Henderson 30-19 that night.

On Saturday, Oct. 24, Tucson won the rematch 4-1. Cameron Hebig scored twice for the Roadrunners. Trent Swick scored Henderson's only goal. The split leaves the Silver Knights at 4-3-0-0, per the Tucson recap. Saturday was also Knightmare on Ice, the team's Halloween night, with a Trick-or-Treat Trail for ticket holders and trick-or-treat bags for the first 1,500 fans.

If you want more than one game, the Silver Knights also have Flex Plans on sale. Each plan comes with 10 ticket vouchers that are good for any 2026-27 home game, according to the team. That makes it easy to pick the Friday nights that fit your family's schedule.

Henderson Silver Knights promo graphic for Knightmare on Ice on Saturday, Oct. 24, at Lee's Family Forum, with the team mascot and trick-or-treat buckets for kids

Background: Karlsson's Record Chase and an 8-2-0 Start

This week's skid came right after a great run. Last week's roundup covered the 8-2-0 start, including a Mark Stone hat trick against Calgary and back-to-back 6-2 wins. In other words, the team that lost three straight this week is the same team that was near the top of the league seven days ago.

There is also a milestone to watch. William Karlsson is one of the original Golden Knights, and he is chasing the franchise record for career points. The team's Morning Skate Report on Oct. 24, written before the Columbus game, listed him nine points away from becoming the franchise's all-time scoring leader. That same report had Jack Eichel tied for fourth in the NHL with 19 points and Mark Stone tied for fifth with eight goals.

When Karlsson does break the record, there is a good chance it happens at T-Mobile Arena in front of the home crowd. That is the kind of night locals will remember.

What Happens Next

The Golden Knights come home after the road trip. They host the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena. Then comes the Nevada Day matinee against New Jersey on Friday, Oct. 30, at 3 p.m.

Watch three things in those games. First, does the penalty kill stop the streak of games with a power-play goal against? Second, do Hart and Hill push the save percentage back toward the league average? Third, when does Marner return to the lineup? NHL.com did not give a return date. In Henderson, keep an eye on the Silver Knights schedule for the next Friday home game, since every one of them now comes with the $5 beer deal.

Vegas Golden Knights 2026-27 season crest with the 17 and 27 years on a gold crossed-sword background, from the team's theme nights page

Ryan's Take

A three-game skid in October is not a crisis. The data says it is mostly two things: the penalty kill and the saves. Both can turn around in a week. What I am really excited about is the Nevada Day game. A 3 p.m. game on a school holiday is a gift for local families. If you have been waiting for the right game to take your kids to, this is the one.

I also love seeing the Silver Knights lean into Henderson. When buyers ask me about Henderson, I point out that it has its own pro hockey team at Lee's Family Forum. For families on that side of the valley, a game night can be close to home instead of a drive to the Strip, and a season-long deal like $5 Beer Friday is the kind of small thing that makes it easy to go.

What You Can Do

Plan for Nevada Day. The Golden Knights host the Devils at 3 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30, at T-Mobile Arena. Check the team's site for tickets and the Nevada Day jersey auction details. If you go, give yourself extra time for traffic and parking near the Strip. And remember that clocks fall back that weekend, which our Nevada Day closures post covers.

Try a Silver Knights Friday. If you live in Henderson, Green Valley or the southeast valley, look up the next Friday home game at Lee's Family Forum. The $5 beer deal runs all regular season.

Keep an eye on the milestone list. The Golden Knights post Morning Skate Reports on their team site, and the Oct. 24 edition tracked who was close to big numbers, including Karlsson's run at the franchise scoring record. It is a free and easy way to know if a record night might be coming before you buy tickets.

Follow along between games. The Golden Knights post a recap after every game on their team site at NHL.com, and SinBin.vegas covers the team daily. The Silver Knights post game breakdowns on their own site. Those are the same sources we used for this roundup.

And if you are a hockey family thinking about a move, ask about the rinks. Being close to the ice can make a big difference for busy parents.

Have questions about how this affects your home or neighborhood? Reach out to Ryan Rose or text/call 702-747-5921 anytime. Ryan Rose | Real Broker, LLC | 702-747-5921 | ryan@rosehomeslv.com | rosehomeslv.com