It happened six minutes into the first period with the game scoreless. As Barbashev was receiving a pass at center ice, Gudas appeared to be lining him up for a check. However, Barbashev saw him coming and quickly dumped the puck into the Golden Knights end of the ice, then delivered a massive hit that knocked Gudas on his back and brought the hometown fans to their feet.
Barbashev was not penalized as it was a clean hit. Meanwhile, Gudas came up a bit wobbly and was sent to the dressing room. He did not return to the game.
The hit seemed to set the tone for the evening, as the Golden Knights scored on a power play less than a minute later and have not looked back. After two periods of play, the Golden Knights lead the Panthers 4-0 and seem to be in position to take a 2-0 series lead.
Moonlighting as a blogger to pursue my interest and enjoyment of sports. Former high school and Division I athlete (now a "retired" family man) that loves watching and discussing all sports. Follow me on Twitter (@HoldoutSports) and like Holdout Sports on Facebook.
