The Tampa Bay Lightning landed in Las Vegas as the presumptive best team in the NHL.
They topped the league with a 24-6-2 record.
Their +43 goal differential was far ahead of second-place LA's +25.
They had won seven in a row.
But for nearly 60 minutes, the Golden Knights stayed with the Lightning stride for stride, shot for shot, goal for goal.
That is, until Shea Theodore struck with 2.3 seconds remaining in regulation.
Tied 2-2 early in the third, Erik Haula took a chance on a loose puck in the neutral zone.
Haula's poke gained the zone, James Neal took over, Mikhail Sergachev high sticked him, and finally, the Finn found a soft spot for a fine chance.
"I thought for sure I could get there," Haula said of his catalytic dive. "I was just trying to poke it to Nealer. I saw him coming through."
It was both balls-out hustle and a calculated read -- Haula has a split-second to also figure if he has support behind him (he did) if the puck goes the other way.
Pluses
Even though they fell behind 2-0 in the first, the Golden Knights were dictating much of the pace.
I thought #VegasBorn played great in 1st, at least on 5v5: #VGK 18-14 Corsi, 8-3 scoring chances, 2-1 High-danger. By my count, it was 8-3 ES quality chances
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 20, 2017
Churning out sound shift after shift kept things close until the Vegas power play plugged in (every Knights goal came a man up).
Alex Tuch going after it defensively. Gets a good chance after creating a turnover. pic.twitter.com/FJQ5HjELUf
— Ryan Quigley (@RP_Quigs) December 20, 2017
Aggressive but accurate read by Schmidt. He sees Killorn is in trouble, pounces on it, and there goes #VegasBorn in transition once again pic.twitter.com/wnKa23Q3Qr
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 20, 2017
Moment of silence for this pass by Perron. ðŸ‘🙌 pic.twitter.com/cZgryX4nnl
— Ryan Quigley (@RP_Quigs) December 20, 2017
I hear [the puck] coming across the wall. I have to look before. I'm taking a look or two before to know where the guys are. When I get to the puck, I'm hoping [Tampa Bay] doesn't think that I looked over there.If I look at the puck, then I look at [Marchessault], the play's not there anymore. It's got to be done right away.
I told him on the bench, I'm glad you stayed at that spot. I knew I was going to do that the whole way.
As for the game-winner, Theodore noted that it was his first buzzer-beater at any significant level.
But besides his four points, Theodore was also a force defensively, especially in the third period.
That was Nikita Kucherov, by the way.
"I thought he was outstanding," said Gallant.
"Yeah, I felt good out there tonight," Theodore echoed. "I was moving the puck well. I was strong defensively at the same time."
Minuses
Gallant revealed, "There was only one shift where I said, 'What are we doing here, Shea?'"
The coach himself noted that Theodore managed to elude the forecheckers. In a way, this was a brilliant play that perhaps only Theodore, of all the Golden Knights, could've executed.
But Gallant also added, correctly, "It was a dangerous play when it was a [one-goal lead]."
This is all part of the 22-year-old's on-the-job training.
Marc-Andre Fleury will probably want the late Victor Hedman goal back. Regardless, he stopped 35 of 38 shots, and earned multiple "Fleury! Fleury!! Fleury!!!" chants.
While the penalty kill came through in the clutch, they were absolutely dissected by the league-leading Lightning power play in the first.
The PK will have its work cut out for itself this Saturday when Alex Ovechkin and Washington visit T-Mobile Arena.
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