The Tahoe Knight Monsters squared off against the Kansas City Mavericks on Saturday in a matchup that looked daunting on paper. Tahoe, the ECHL affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights, entered the game sitting third in the division with a 22-14-3 record and was eager to rebound after a recent loss to the Mavericks. On the other side, Kansas City continued to assert itself as the team to beat in the league. Affiliated with the Seattle Kraken, the Mavericks not only led the division but also owned the best record in the entire ECHL at 28-7-2. Fresh off another victory over Tahoe, Kansas City brought a scorching thirteen-game winning streak into the contest. For the Knight Monsters, this one shaped up to be a serious test as they looked to cool off the hottest team in the league and get back on track.
The Tahoe Knight Monsters came into this matchup staring down one of the toughest tests in the ECHL, facing a Kansas City Mavericks team that simply couldn’t be cooled off. After a recent loss to the Mavericks, Tahoe was focused on regrouping and tightening up their game. The Knight Monsters aimed to lean on a balanced lineup and structured defensive play, knowing it would take a complete sixty-minute effort to keep pace. More than just another game on the schedule, this was a measuring-stick moment, a chance for Tahoe to show they can hang with the league’s elite and maybe swing some momentum back in their direction. Kansas City, meanwhile, continued to look every bit like the class of the league. The Mavericks sat not only at the top of the division but also owned the best record in the entire ECHL. Their last win over Tahoe pushed their winning streak to thirteen games, and they’ve been doing it with a formula that’s hard to beat. Strong special teams, timely scoring, and the ability to slowly wear opponents down as games go on. Confidence is high, execution has been sharp, and they’ve made closing out games look routine. For Tahoe, the storyline centered on response and resilience. Could they slow down Kansas City’s attack, stay disciplined, and make the most of their own scoring chances? For the Mavericks, it was about keeping their foot on the gas and continuing to create separation in the standings. With recent history, playoff-style intensity, and a red-hot streak in play, this matchup had all the makings of another heated chapter in what’s becoming a compelling showdown between these two teams.
#34 Jordan Papirny drew the start between the pipes for the Tahoe Knight Monsters, marking his seventeenth appearance with the team this season. At the other end of the ice, #35 Logan Terness got the nod in goal for the Kansas City Mavericks, making his eleventh game played for Kansas City this season.
A minute into the game, Luke Loheit of the Kansas City Mavericks was called for boarding. With under three minutes left in the first period, Adam Pitters of the Tahoe Knight Monsters was called for delay of game. Neither team scored in the first period. The game was tied at 0-0 going after the first period.
Two minutes into the second period, Drake Burgin of the Kansas City Mavericks was called for holding. Six minutes into the second period, the Tahoe Knight Mosters scored the opening goal of the game. #65 Devon Paliani scored the first goal in the game. His goal was unassisted.
With under nine minutes left in the second period, #19 Luke Adam scored to give the Knight Monsters a two-goal lead. His goal was assisted by #3 C.J. Valerian and #10 Mike O’Leary.
With under seven minutes left in the second period, the Mavericks got on the board with a goal from #28 Justin Janicke. His goal was unassisted. The Kngiht Monsters still had a one-goal lead.
Shortly after the Mavericks goal, Craig McCabe of Tahoe was called for interference. On the power play, Landon McCallum of Kansas City was called for unsportsmanlike conduct. At the end of the period, Jackson Berezowski of Kansas City was given a five-minute major penalty and a ten-minute misconduct for cross-checking. The score was 2-1 with the Tahoe Knight Monsters leading heading into the third period.
Six minutes into the third period, #65 Devon Paliani scored for the Tahoe Knight Monsters. His goal was unassisted. With this goal, the Knight Monsters regained their two-goal lead.
Seven minutes into the third period, #13 David Cotton scored for the Kansas City Mavericks. His goal was assisted by #22 Casey Carreau and #21 Jimmy Glynn. The Knight Monsters still had a one-goal lead after this goal.
With under eight minutes left in the game. Brennan Kapcheck of Tahoe was called for high-sticking. On the power play, #13 David Cotton scored for the Mavericks to tie the game. The goal was assisted by #82 Jack Randl and #15 Marcus Crawford.
With under five minutes left in the third period, Luke Loheit of Kansas City was called for roughing. At the same time, Linden Alger of Tahoe was called for cross-checking. The game was tied at 3-3 after regulation time. The game would go into overtime.
Three minutes into overtime, the Kansas City Mavericks scored to win the game. The game-winning goal was scored by #21 Jimmy Glynn. His goal was assisted by #16 Drake Burgin and #11 Landon McCallum.
The final score was 4-3, Kansas City Mavericks.
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Despite a tough result, the Tahoe Kngiht Monsters showed a lot of heart in a high-energy battle that went all the way to overtime before the Mavericks pulled out a 4-3 victory. Tahoe jumped on the board early in the second period with goals from Devon Paliani and Luke Adam, giving them momentum and a lead heading into the final frame. The Knight Monsters attack looked sharp at times and created opportunities against one of the league’s best teams, showing they can compete physically and offensively. However, the Kansas City Mavericks depth and experience on the big stage showed through in the third period. The Mavericks battled back with two quick goals to tie the game, ultimately forcing overtime where they struck for the game-winner. Even though Tahoe kept pace for much of the night, the difference came down to timely finishing and the ability to capitalize in clutch moments. Those are areas where the Mavericks have been elite this season. For Tahoe, there are plenty of positives to take away. The team didn’t fold under pressure, stayed engaged throughout all three periods, and pushed a top-tier club into extra time. Goal scoring was balanced, and key contributions from players like Paliani and Adam showed the Knight Monsters offensive depth. Their effort earned them a point in a tough road environment and sent a message that they won’t back down from a challenge. Looking ahead, the focus will likely be on tightening up on the defensive end and finishing more of the chances they generate. If Tahoe can continue to build off this level of effort and find that extra click in key moments, they’ll be poised to steal results against anyone in the league. Teams rarely hang with Kansas City for a full sixty minutes without taking confidence from it, and Tahoe absolutely can.
The Kansas City Mavericks had 16 more shots. The Tahoe Knight Monsters had 20 total shots. The Kansas City Mavericks had 36 total shots. The Knight Monsters had the better shot percentage. The Knight Monsters had a shot percentage of 15%. The Kansas City Mavericks had a shot percentage of 11%. The Kansas City Mavericks had 15 more penalty minutes. The Knight Monsters had 8 penalty minutes. The Mavericks had 23 penalty minutes. #34 Jordan Papirny stopped 32 shots for an 89% save percentage for Tahoe. #35 Logan Terness made 17 saves for a save percentage of 85% for Kansas City.
The Tahoe Knight Monsters have a record of 22-14-4 with 48 points in 40 games. The Tahoe Knight Monsters are in nineth place in the ECHL. The Knight Monsters are in third place in the ECHL Western Conference. The Knight Monsters are in third place in the ECHL Western Conference Mountain Division. The Knight Monsters are 12 points away from the top spots in the ECHL, the ECHL Western Conference, and the Mountain Division. The Knight Monsters are 5 points away from second place in the Mountain division. The Knight Monsters are 4 points away from fourth place. The Knight Monsters are in a solid place right now. They are 9 points into a playoff spot.
The Tahoe Knight Monsters are set to face the Bloomington Bison in their forty-first game of the season. The puck is dropping on Wednesday, January 28th, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
Zac Electrifly 
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