Rotten eggs shine light on NHL’S best

THERE were 18,014 in attendance Wednesday night at T-mobile Arena, where the Golden Knights routed Pacific Division foe Calgary 7-3 to reclaim the NHL lead in points with 84.

And within such a crowd, among all those screaming and dancing and euphoric hockey fans, existed a percentage of folks with the same prejudicial thoughts that cost some their seats in Chicago this week.

You might not have heard them or known them Wednesday, but they were there.

Numbers bear it out. It’s just that way.

The league promotes February as Hockey for Everyone Month, a way to drive positive social change and encourage inclusive communities, a time for encouraging groups to embrace the game regardless of race or color or gender or sexual orientation or socioeconomic status.

It’s hockey’s way of stating all

GRANEY later, Luca Sbisa scored to make it 5-3 and the Knights were on their way to an historic evening.

With the win, the team set an

NHL record for points by an expansion franchise with 84, passing the 1993-94 Florida Panthers, who had 83 points. They also surpassed the 1979-80 Hartford Whalers’ 22 home victories with their 23rd triumph at T-mobile.

The seven goals also matched the franchise’s single-game best. The Knights had seven goals against Colorado in a shutout on Oct. 27.

“That was a pretty ballsy call,” Knights forward Alex Tuch said of Gallant’s challenge. “Tommy knows

KNIGHTS

the rules better than anyone, and he obviously knew it was offsides.”

Sbisa, who registered his 101 career point after adding an assist to his third-period goal, said: “That was the turning point. It’s a much different game if it’s 4-4.”

First-period goals from Ryan Carpenter, his sixth, and William Karlsson’s 31st, coming on a power play with 31 seconds remaining, staked the Knights to a 2-1 lead. Calgary, which didn’t have a shot on goal until

8:51 remained in the period, had briefly tied it on TJ Brodie’s tip-in of Travis Hamonic’s slap shot at 16:45.

The teams exchanged goals over the first 1:18 of the second period. First, it was Calgary’s Dougie Hamilton beating Marc-andre Fleury over his shoulder with a wrist shot 20 seconds in. Then Reilly Smith put the Knights back up 3-2 as he knocked in a loose puck in the crease after Colin Miller’s slap shot had been partially stopped by David Rittich, who was starting for the Flames in goal for the injured Mike Smith.

For Smith, it was his 20th goal as he became the fifth Knights player to reach 20 or more.

But the lead didn’t last. Matthew Tkachuk scored with Erik Haula in the penalty box for hooking as his shot went off Cody Eakin’s skate and past Fleury at 11:07.

However, Tuch got the Knights back in front as he fired a wrist shot over Rittich’s left shoulder at 13:58. David Perron set up the play with a nice cross-ice feed. Perron also assisted on Haula’s third-period goal for his team-leading 41st assist and 55th point.

The Flames thought they had tied it 4-4 1:29 into the third period on Sean Monahan shot. But then Knights won the challenge.

Eakin, who hadn’t scored in 18 games, capped the scoring with a wrist shot from inside the right faceoff circle at 14:18. It was Eakin’s seventh goal.

“I thought we had a lot more energy and determination than Monday (vs. Anaheim),” Perron said. “All four lines were working hard and we kept battling.”

Contact Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow @ stevecarprj on Twitter.