Knights collapse after strong start, fall at home to Lightning

Danny Webster, Las Vegas Review-Journal on Nov 7, 2025

Published in Hockey

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LAS VEGAS — The Golden Knights would’ve been fine if Thursday’s game was 20 minutes long. They’d surely like to forget the final 40.

The Knights built a commanding two-goal lead during a dominant first period, but couldn’t contain the Tampa Bay Lightning in the final two frames in a 6-3 loss at T-Mobile Arena.

Left wing Ivan Barbashev scored twice in the opening 20 minutes to give the Knights a 2-0 lead. Barbashev also scored the team’s only goal in Tuesday’s 1-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings.

The scoreboard at the first intermission Thursday reflected the Knights’ domination. They outshot the Lightning 15-3 in the first period.

It was all Tampa Bay when the second period began. The Lightning scored six of the game’s next seven goals to drop the Knights (7-3-3) to 1-2-0 during their six-game homestand.

Right wing Mitch Marner had a goal and two assists, while goaltender Carl Lindbom made 21 saves in his third NHL start to fall to 0-2-1.

Thursday was one of the rare times the Knights got off to a fast start. They scored first for only the fourth time in 13 games.

Barbashev’s first goal came 7:25 into the first period off a rebound from a point shot from defenseman Noah Hanifin. Barbashev’s second goal came with 4:07 left in the frame on a one-timer off a feed from Marner.

The Lightning (7-5-2) responded in the second with two goals from their third line.

Right wing Gage Goncalves struck 36 seconds into the period and center Dominic James scored his first NHL goal 2:52 later.

Tampa Bay outshot the Knights 15-4 in the second. The game remained tied only because the Lightning couldn’t score on their two second-period power plays.

Tampa Bay grabbed the lead in the third thanks to right wing Nikita Kucherov. The 32-year-old, who has led the NHL in points twice, scored twice in the final frame.

He gave the Lightning a 3-2 lead 2:48 into the third period, then put his team up 5-3 with a power-play goal with 5:47 remaining.

The Knights had killed 21 of their previous 22 penalties before Kucherov’s second goal.

The team tried to fight back. Marner scored 49 seconds after Kucherov’s first goal to tie the game 3-3. But left wing Brandon Hagel scored 35 seconds later to give Tampa Bay the lead back. Hagel later added an empty-net goal off an assist from Kucherov with 47 seconds to play.

The Knights continue their homestand Saturday against the surprising Anaheim Ducks (9-3-1), who have won five straight and sit atop the Pacific Division standings.