Knights’ penalty problems lead to first loss of season

First, it was Zach Whitecloud.

Then Alec Martinez. William Carrier. Brayden McNabb. William Karlsson. Whitecloud again.

The Golden Knights couldn’t stop the parade of players going to the penalty box in the second period during Tuesday’s matchup with the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome. They built a 2-0 lead in the first period of a potential statement game against the defending Pacific Division champions. The next 20 minutes were spent giving that away.

The Knights’ penalty problems allowed Calgary to tie things up in the second period before center Mikael Backlund scored the game-winner with 4:29 remaining in the third. The rally kept the Flames’ record perfect at 3-0-0. It sent the Knights (3-1-0) to their first loss.

They could only blame themselves.

“I don’t think we passed the test,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “We didn’t get cheated. They won. They were better in the end, over the course of 60 minutes.”

Things looked much different at the start.

Carrier gave the Knights the lead 3:55 in with a shot that bounced off goaltender Jacob Markstrom’s glove and into the net. Left wing Brett Howden tipped in a shot from McNabb 4:37 before the first intermission to increase the advantage.

The Knights were up. Goaltender Logan Thompson was playing great in his hometown. The team’s impressive start to its sixth season looked set to continue.

Then, things unraveled. Center Elias Lindholm appeared to score on Calgary’s second power play of the second period, but the goal was overturned for goaltender interference. It was only a temporary respite for the Knights.

Lindholm scored on the Flames’ next opportunity. Right wing Tyler Toffoli tied things on a power play after that. The Knights killed the other four penalties they took in the period, but the damage was done. Calgary was back in the game.

The Flames won it in the third to remain one of five unbeaten teams in the NHL. The Knights failed to match the best start in team history, while missing an opportunity to deliver a message against one of the league’s best teams.

“I’m just disappointed we didn’t have enough in the third to reset,” Cassidy said. “We’re right there. We had an opportunity to take points out of this building.”

Here are three takeaways from the loss:

1. Penalty problems

The Knights’ six penalties in the second were a franchise record for the most in a period.

They also almost doubled the team’s season total. The Knights were on the penalty kill only seven times their first three games.

Their lack of discipline not only led to goals, it threw skaters’ playing time all over the map. Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo played 9:27 in the second period because he was constantly killing penalties. Defenseman Shea Theodore (3:36) and right wing Jonathan Marchessault (3:13), on the other hand, barely saw the ice despite being two of the Knights’ best players.

They didn’t kill penalties, so they didn’t play.

“Once the goal came back, it turned into a penalty-kill scrimmage for us,” Cassidy said. “Eventually, that’s going to take some people out of the game that don’t penalty kill and that’s going to wear down some of your d-men.”

2. Thompson strong in hometown

While the Knights skaters kept taking on water, Thompson kept bailing them out.

The 25-year-old Calgary native delivered a gem in his second-ever start in his hometown. He gave the Knights a chance to win a game they were outshot 40-21.

Several of Thompson’s 37 saves were spectacular, including two he made with his glove. He denied Toffoli after moving across his crease in the first period. Then he stopped a great chance from center Nazem Kadri 1:29 before Backlund’s winner.

Thompson, through three starts, has stopped 91 of the 97 shots he’s faced for a .938 save percentage.

“He played unreal,” McNabb said. “We weren’t good in front of him.”

3. Successful challenge

The Knights would have been in trouble faster if Cassidy didn’t challenge the first time Calgary appeared to score.

Kadri did make contact with Thompson before the puck went in the net. Flames coach Darryl Sutter, coaching his 1,400th NHL game, said it was “probably the right call” to overturn the goal. It continued a successful run by the Knights, who have won six straight challenges after going 5-for-5 last season.

They would’ve given Calgary yet another power play if the initial call was upheld.

Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.