The Golden Knights haven’t had many offensive dry spells this season.
Much like they haven’t lost back-to-back games very often.
Facing two of the best goalies in the world over a 48-hour span — no matter how much their teams are struggling — might cause the offense to dry up.
Right now, the Knights’ offense is going through a mini-slump with no five-on-five goals in the last 120 minutes of game action, the latest being a 2-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena.
Two days removed from being shut out 4-0 by New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin, the Knights (28-11-3) only got one — a power-play goal by captain Mark Stone — by Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin.
New York’s goalie made 29 saves. There were not many rebounds to be had. The second-chance opportunities were not there.
The result is the Knights’ scoring just one goal in the past two games and losing consecutive games for the first time since Nov. 17-20
“Every team every season goes through when they can’t score,” center Tomas Hertl said. “We just have to be stronger around the net when the good goalies play against us.”
The Knights, in short, aren’t getting the kind of puck luck that was bouncing their way at the beginning of the season.
New York (20-20-2) definitely did Saturday.
Stone opened the scoring 6:16 into the second period on the power play with a wrap-around attempt for a 1-0 lead.
The Rangers answered 3:38 later on a power-play tally of their own when winger Vincent Trocheck absorbed a point shot from center Mika Zibanejad and put a backhand past goaltender Ilya Samsonov while hunched over in pain to tie it 1-1.
Trocheck went down the tunnel momentarily but later returned.
New York’s fourth line contributed to the winning goal when forward Adam Edstrom, with his back toward the play, got his stick on the puck at 5:54 of the third for the lead.
“I think that puck had eyes there,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “That was certainly not a great game-winning goal, but it found its way in and that’s a little bit of how it’s going for us right now.”
The Knights’ best chance came with 1:52 remaining, playing six-on-four for 57 seconds following a hooking call on defenseman Urho Vaakanainen.
They had one shot on goal — a wrist shot from Hertl in the slot — that was saved by Shesterkin. No other pucks found the net on the two-man advantage.
“They compacted, but we had some chances to score for sure,” Stone said. “Just couldn’t get it by them.”
Hertl said it’s on the Knights to be stronger in front of the net and find rebounds, especially against a goalie like Shesterkin.
They’ll face another stellar goalie in less than 24 hours, Minnesota’s Filip Gustavsson, on the second leg of a back-to-back. There’s not much time to dwell on it, nor any practice time to fix it. Games will have to be the way to go.
“We weren’t far off from tying it or winning this game,” Hertl said, “but we have to look to tomorrow and definitely we have to find a way to score some goals at five-on-five.”
Here are three takeaways from the loss:
1. Barbashev back
The Knights are inching closer to full health with leading goal scorer Ivan Barbashev returning after a 10-game absence due to an upper-body injury.
Barbashev had three shots in 18:24 while back at first-line left wing with Stone and center Jack Eichel.
Barbashev’s 15 goals lead the team, and he is 11 off tying his career-high.
“I think he’ll be better tomorrow,” Stone said. “When he gets his physical game going and he makes plays, he’s getting lots of chances. He gets to the net, and he’s another guy that’ll help us get out of a funk.”
Center Nic Roy (upper body) is inching closer to a return after being cleared for full contact. Saturday was his 11th straight missed game.
2. One second too late
For the second time in two weeks, the Knights scored well after the buzzer in the second period and ended up losing the game by a goal.
Defenseman Noah Hanifin had a goal called back when his shot came well after zeroes hit the clock. It wasn’t a bang-bang play, but still a deflating moment felt by the home crowd.
Right wing Pavel Dorofeyev had a goal called back Dec. 31 against Montreal that came a second too late when the Knights led 2-1. They ended up losing 3-2.
Another instance Cassidy pointed to where puck luck isn’t in the Knights’ favor.
“You know there’s a little something in the water right now with our puck luck when that happens twice,” Cassidy said.
3. Samsonov strong again
The loss — the last two, even — shouldn’t be blamed on the Knights’ goaltender.
Samsonov made 24 saves, but lost for the first time in seven starts (Nov. 30 against Utah). Even in defeat, Samsonov has been great, allowing two goals or fewer in each of the past seven starts.
The Knights are getting quality play from both of their goalies. Adin Hill will get the nod against the Wild on Sunday.
Contact Danny Webster at [email protected]. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.