Recap: The Golden Knights entered Game 4 two wins away from the Western Conference finals. Vegas took the first lead after Max Pacioretty’s quick wrist shot slipped through Vancouver goalie Jacob Markstrom’s pads. The Canucks tied the game 1-1 with a power play goal midway through the first. Two minutes later, Chandler Stephenson regained the lead for Vegas after a nice give-and-go pass with Shea Theodore. Starting goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 7 out of 8 Vancouver shots taking a 2-1 lead into the first intermission.
Vancouver evened the game early, and took the lead later in the 2nd period. It was the Canucks second power play goal that gave them a 3-2 lead. Markstrom held the Golden Knights scoreless on 14 shots in the 2nd period.
The tide turned in the 3rd period as the Golden Knights came out ready to take care of business. Nate Schmidt tied the game 2:52 into the final twenty minutes, and Pacioretty gave Vegas the lead 4-3 with his second goal of the night. William Karlsson joined the party stretching the Golden Knights lead 5-4. Fleury stopped 27 of Vancouver’s 30 shots on net and earned his first win of the series.
With their 5-3 victory the Golden Knights lead 3-1 in their best-of-seven game series. Vegas will have a chance at clinching the second round matchup with the Canucks on Tuesday night. Game 5 will air on NBC Sports Network scheduled for 6:45 PM. (Recap by Jason)
Analysis: For the first time in four games the Canucks proved they could match up with the Golden Knights physically. They used a strong 2nd period to take a lead, but the Golden Knights were quick to offer some proof of their own that it was not sustainable for Vancouver. Vegas dominated the 3rd period from start to finish and banged in three quick goals to take hold of the game and the series. We knew it coming in, we really know it now, the Canucks cannot play 60 minutes with the Golden Knights. (Analysis by Ken)
Upcoming stories from Game 4 of the Vegas Golden Knights vs Vancouver Canucks in Round 2 series of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place in the NHL Bubble.
- One bad period has not led to two for the Golden Knights
Ken’s Three VGK Stars
*** Marc-Andre Fleury
** Max Pacioretty
* Shea Theodore
The Vancouver Canucks have STILL not beaten Marc-Andre Fleury in regulation since before the iPhone.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) August 31, 2020
This is a great example of the stats not being indicative of the goalie performance. Fleury has been excellent in this game despite allowing 3.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) August 31, 2020
And just like that, every single puck battle is going the Golden Knights way.
VGK is just flat out bigger, stronger, and better.
5-3.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) August 31, 2020
I'm honestly impressed with the Canucks in that period. I didn't think they had it in them to win a majority of puck battles in a period against the Golden Knights.
Now, it's time for VGK to turn it back on and take this game back.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) August 31, 2020
Julie
Fleury did great as expected. Still undefeated with the Canucks, and hasn’t lost a game since they have been in the bubble. Brian Burke on Sportsnet first commented that there was no reason not to play Lehner since he had two unscheduled days off and playing B2B shouldn’t be an issue. I agree, lots of goalies do. But it was great to see Fleury, most enjoyable to watch play.
hdbiker7851
Julie – just an opinion there is zero reason not to be using both on a rotating bases. They have that luxury which most teams don’t so why not avail themselves of that opportunity. I know that comment will gender a bunch of negative thoughts but who cares. They are not right any more than I- raised in Canada and learned to skate and play hockey before I could walk and a family member who played professional hockey in the days when it was the love of the game and not money would rather defuse a problem than escalate it and cause another. Knights are in a great position to capitalize on an opportunity that does come around every day. I bet your Canadian husband can appreciate that more than most of the Vegas fans who have only had the chance to really get involved in the great game of hockey for the las few years.
DOC aPositiveFan
Magical 3rd period. The boys hit that level that few other teams can. MAF a great 3rd. The TEAM, just amazing. They were just not going to lose that game. THIS is why we believe the Knights can win the CUP!!!! GO KNIGHTS GO !!!
Pete Turner
Hey Ken, nice to see that you’re suddenly back on the MAF bandwagon. If you have any doubts that the players played hard for MAF, look no further than the DOG penalty MAF took in the final minutes of the 3rd period. With 2 minutes of 6 on 4, our VGK special teams stood on their head to make sure nothing gets by them to trouble MAF even when they had a 2 goal buffer. That’s a lot of love for your goalie. Even at the very end of that penalty kill when VGK had control of the pucks and they could either decide to score an empty netter and bask in that glory or just hold on to that puck a little longer just to run out the penalty kill, they unselfishly choose to kill that penalty.
I hope this ends your tedious waffling over “should we have played Lehner instead of MAF because….” because you have nothing else better to analyze. Get over it Ken. Move on. Find something else meaningful and insightful to help the team secure the Cup. This manufactured goalie controversy isn’t one of them.
Julie
I agree with you about team love for the goalie and even PDB said the guys have to love who they are playing with (ESPN article by Ed Wyshynski (sp). Fleury said in his post-game interview that after 2 weeks he felt a little jittery in the first period, then, better, but at home in the 3rd. Understandable. That’s magic when they have that bond and execute so well together. I look forward to the next game.
DOC aPositiveFan
I appreciate your criticism of Ken ….. but you are still pushing this idea that the team played harder for MAF than they would for Lehner. Just not true man!
hdbiker7851
DOC – give it a break – concentrate on what’s important – they have two good goalies that most all teams would kill for at this time. Regardless who is in goal when the TEAM shows up in unison they are better than most and have a very good chance to prove it so by bringing home the Cup. Not for Foley and the rest of mgt but themselves as they will have accomplished something that’s special under less than ideal conditions – hopefully those conditions don’t have to be duplicated in the future. GO KNIGHTS GO
DOC aPositiveFan
Give WHAT a break? GO KNIGHTS GO !!!
Julie
HD, I hear you and agree. It would seem rotating the goalies is a win-win because it keeps them warmed up and does not let them burn out all at the same time. It’s so logical, that’s why it’s so odd playing one way more than the other when a coach has that luxury.
Yes, my husband agrees with you too. I am new to hockey because of him. He learned to skate like you before he could walk. He said it was a Canadian law, ha ha. I look like a giraffe on roller skates when I skate. So, I appreciate skill at any level. ☺️. Our nephew is the goalie for GCU (he was last year, maybe not this year). He is from Calgary. He helps me a lot about the game and perspectives in hockey. He is going into a sports manager field. Nice to hear what really young players have to say sometimes.
DOC aPositiveFan
I have been saying for days now that I don’t care WHOs in goal. What I comment on is common sense. Two things are plainly obvious. Panda IS the #1 goalie in PDBs mind. And, he is not going to do a regular rotation in the playoffs. This is HIS thinking, not mine. (don’t kill the messenger). Let me say one last time! I don’t care who is in goal! Plain enough for ya’ll. And I refuse to let someone say he KNOWS that the boys will play HARDER for MAF. These players want to WIN THE CUP! Do you understand that? They will do nothing to intentionally hurt that, like: Giving less effort if a certain guy is in goal!!!!! I just hate ignorant things, said as fact! Thank you, DOC GO KNIGHTS GO !!!
DOC aPositiveFan
And Julie … FYI … I played hockey for almost 30 years. Not the NHL but some pretty serious leagues. I learned to walk way before I learned to skate. Does this make me less knowledgably than anyone else?
Julie
Doc, I must have missed something here. You said before you were ignoring me, and now you’re angry because HD and I were talking about skating before walking which is just joking.
Pete Turner
Doc, unless your name is Ken Boehlke, nobody gives 2 shifts what you think either. The reason I address my replies to Ken is because he wrote an opinion on his website that states this simple premise that PDB should have started Lehner in Game 4 instead of MAF because Lehner is the starter, his stats are better, the players will prefer him in net than MAF because MAF is too rusty and Lehner isn’t one bit tired.
Had we lost Game 4, Ken would be floating on a cloud of “I-told-you-so”. All I did is lay out my arguments to Ken that MAF in net is not a reckless decision based on the fact that I believe MAF is a proven quantity with years of playoff experience, the face of the VGK franchise and well respected by every VGK fan. As to your contention that I don’t know and nobody knows which goalie every player on the ice prefers, I give you that. Nobody really knows. But that’s not to say that they don’t care. Of course they care. Every goalie is different. Some goalie expects you to block. Some prefers you don’t block their view. One is big, one is agile and fast. Common sense tells me that switching goalies makes it harder for the opponent to figure out the opposing goalie’s scouting report. Still do we really know who the players like? Well one is the face of the franchise with a 3 year contract until 2022. The other is a 1 year contract who is a UFA in about 8 months. What are the odds we keep 2 goalies with salaries above $7M? Who do you want to lose to make that happen? We know who Schmidt prefers in net and based on the thousand of times I’ve watched that apple iPhone commercial, I know who Stoner likes coz’ he’s not that good an actor.
Ken Boehlke
Pete: I think you took my opinion on the belief to play Lehner over Fleury too far. I have plenty of very strong opinions, that was not one. I did not call it reckless and I definitely wouldn’t been doing the “I told you so” as you indicate.
And never have I ever used the phrase “his stats are better.”
I’m all for having a discussion, but I can’t do it if you are making up my side of the argument for me.
Pete Turner
Jeez Ken, I didn’t think you’d read any if this stuff but I stand corrected, I agree that I did not quote you verbatim but that was roughly my impression of your sentiment and though I do realize you were only playing devil’s advocate, you need to also realize that this is just me throwing pop corn from the bleachers. Nothing personal dude, I do miss your presence in the post game presser though. What happened and why is Greg Wishy Washinski still there? Is he want hankerin’ for another cream pie ?
Ken Boehlke
Pete: I’m not really trying to play Devil’s advocate, I’m honestly just trying to figure out their process and it’s been somewhat confusing to me. They seem to value B2Bs over just about anything else. Seems a bit surprising to me to do that, but here we are.
As for pressers, I am in the Zoom call on every single one. I am ready to ask questions in a majority of them but the Golden Knights say “there are a lot of people wanting to ask questions” and thus they are unable to get to mine. That’s all I’m going to say about that at this time.
Hdbiker7851
DOC you have a strang way of demonstrating your hockey knowledge for a ‘ 30 year ???? veteran.” First off you must be unbelievable as 30 years is a very long time for any hockey player unless most of that time was on the bench. Secondly was that on ice or out in front of the house in the street? Just asking as l haven’t seen your resume listed anywhere. GO K IGHTS GO
DOC aPositiveFan
Ha ha ha ….. You know nothing about me. Others who have been here for a year and a half, do! I don’t need to justify anything to you pal. I exchange e-mails with guys that know my background and what I am facing now. They laugh at you HD. So continue on with your BS. GO KNIGHTS GO !!!! And Pete, who the hell cares what YOU say? Yourself, that’s who! ha ha Go get those Nucks tonight boys!!!!!!!