A win for the Knights, a loss for the Raiders, and goodbye Derek Carr. Here’s what happened last week in Las Vegas Sports (Dec 26 – Jan 1).
#5 Logan Thompson comments on disappointing loss to Anaheim Ducks
The Las Vegas Golden Knights battled the Anaheim Ducks last Wednesday night in what had to be a frustrating matchup. Adin Hill got the start for The Golden Knights but got replaced by Logan Thompson after allowing two goals in the first period.
This marked the first goalie change of the year and was pretty disappointing to see from Adin Hill. Mark Stone and Ben Hutton both scored goals to keep the game close but were outdone in an overtime shootout. Thompson commented on the goalie change after the game and tried to sound encouraging
“That’s unfortunate,” Thompson told the media Friday. “You never really want to be put in a situation with Hillsie. Especially, I don’t necessarily think the goals were on him.”
#4 Derek Carr benched by the Las Vegas Raiders for the rest of the season
In a move some fans probably saw coming, Derek Carr has been benched for the remainder of the season. This makes Jarrett Stidham the starter, who the Raiders are evaluating in the next two games. The news comes after a disappointing 6-9 season and several disastrous performances by Carr.
“None of us is happy with where we’re at, but we think it’s an opportunity to evaluate a younger player who hasn’t had much time to play,” McDaniels said when announcing the move. “Talking to Derek, who was great, he understands the scenario that we’re in, the situation, very supportive of the two guys.”
Through the first 15 games of the season, Carr has racked up 3,552 yards, 24 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, and a passer rating of 86.3. Carr is 62-78 as a starter and only made the playoffs twice.
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#3 Rumored trade destinations for Derek Carr in 2023
Despite Carr’s benching, there are rumblings that the Raiders might be looking into trading him somewhere else. Possible destinations so far have included the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Washington Commanders. Some claimed that the move could come during Super Bowl weekend, which would allow for a small cap hit.
The Athletic proposed a trade that would see Carr go to the Saints, while another writer suggested that Carr will become the starter for the Patriots. These are all exciting scenarios to consider and could be an opportunity for him to make a career elsewhere.
#2 The Las Vegas Golden Knights secure the final win of 2022 in dramatic fashion
The Las Vegas Golden Knight defeated the Nashville Predators Saturday afternoon in one of the wildest games of the season. It all started when Nashville took an early 2-0 lead before the Knights managed to get one by the opposing goalie.
This set the stage for the second period, where the Golden Knights would score two more goals, while also holding the Predators to zero. The Golden Knights went up 3-2 heading into the final period, which is where things really got interesting. The Golden Knights started on the attack, but eventually gave up two goals and only scored one. That made it a tied game at regulation and forced overtime.
The Knights ended up mounting one of their biggest comebacks in organization history after Nicolas Hague scored the deciding goal. The key pass was given to him by Mark Stone, who finished with three assists. Logan Thompson tended the net, allowing three shots to get past him and stopping 33 of them.
#1 Jarrett Stidham and the Las Vegas Raiders come up short against the 49ers
The Las Vegas Raiders came up short against the 49ers 37-34 in what was an intense matchup. The story coming into the week was that Las Vegas was benching Derek Carr in favor of evaluating rookie, Jarret Stidham. The young quarterback didn’t waste the opportunity either, throwing three for three touchdowns on Sunday afternoon.
Joshua Jacobs even took 17 carries for 69 yards and one touchdown. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to stop the 49ers from taking the win 37-34 after a field goal. The Raider’s defense did manage an interception on Brock Purdy during Sunday’s game, but it wasn’t enough.
And that’s what went down last week in Las Vegas Sports (Dec 26 – Jan 1)!
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