Analysis from VGK Television Play-by-Play Announcer Dave Goucher
When you score with 0.3 seconds left to tie a game you literally need every possible tick of the clock. That's what the Golden Knights got on this tying goal by Max Pacioretty on Thanksgiving Eve in Nashville. The VGK, in need of a jumpstart to their season, had let a 2-0 lead slip away and trailed 3-2 very late. With 28.4 left, Predators' defenseman Dan Hamhuis sailed the puck wide of an open net for icing with just 21.2 seconds remaining. But before the next faceoff, 0.7 was added correctly to the clock and the Golden Knights needed every bit of it.
After Nashville wins the ensuing faceoff, Hamhuis rims the puck around the boards down the ice and the great hustle of Jonathan Marchessault starts the whole play in motion the other way. He picks up the puck behind his own net with 13 seconds left, sprints up the ice, dumps the puck in deep and creates a turnover on the forecheck. From there, Reilly Smith backhands it in front to Mark Stone, who finds a wide open Max Pacioretty for the tying goal. The Golden Knights' best natural goal scorer buried it and set the stage for Nate Schmidt to set up Paul Stastny on a 2-on-0 rush in overtime for the game-winner.
The Pacioretty goal was the biggest the VGK scored in the first two months of the season and it served as the catalyst for a 13-4-2 run. They had lost 8-of-10 before that and 9-of-12 in November overall. The dramatic comeback win led them into the New Year, all the way through Chandler Stephenson's OT winner Jan. 4 against St. Louis, capping a rally from a 3-0 deficit and marking the first time ever the VGK rallied to win when trailing by three goals.
It's never difficult to have fun in Nashville and Pacioretty's heroics made the trip to Music City even more enjoyable.
