Recap: The 1st period of Game 4 was a mirror image of the entire series. For the third straight game neither team could come up with a goal in the opening 20 minutes.
The game began to heat up in the 2nd period. Vegas took the first lead on a power play goal from Alec Martinez. Dallas tied the game and eventually took the lead 2-1 with a power play goal of their own with under a minute to go in the middle period.
Dallas suffocated the Vegas in the final period. The Golden Knights drew multiple penalties earning a 5-on-3 power play. They had several chances but couldn’t convert and tie the game.
With their 2–1 loss, the Golden Knights trail the Stars 3-1 in their best-of-seven series. Game 5 of the Western Conference finals is set for Monday night. Puck drop is scheduled for 5:00 PM. (Recap by Jason)
Analysis: The Golden Knights refused to change the way they played and the Stars once again capitalized on the style. Vegas controlled a good portion of the game in the offensive zone but yet again couldn’t must up enough truly dangerous scoring chances at even-strength. The one goal they scored was on the power play and when they needed the PP to bail them out again with a 70 second 5-on-3, they couldn’t. Something must change in the style of play or there is no way the Golden Knights will defeat the Stars three times in a row and make the Stanley Cup Final. (Analysis by Ken)
Upcoming stories from Game 4 of the Vegas Golden Knights vs Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final at Rogers Place in the NHL Bubble.
- We might be as lost as the Golden Knights. But we’ll figure out something.
Ken’s Three VGK Stars
*** Shea Theodore
** Alec Martinez
* Alex Tuch
Let's talk about a big hole. https://t.co/Iq0s2Po253
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) September 13, 2020
The Golden Knights changed nothing.
The results continued.
This series is not over, but VGK have to try something new.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) September 13, 2020
Lehner has been bailing them out all series.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) September 13, 2020
The Golden Knights need some correct buttons to be pressed in this intermission. Right now.
They hired DeBoer because he knows which ones to press. He better press em.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) September 13, 2020
This series is going to make me pull the very very very very little amount of hair I have remaining out of my head.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) September 13, 2020
"All we need is to finish. The effort's there. We're creating a lot of good looks. Defensively we've been really good." -DeBoer
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) September 13, 2020
Tim O
We’re done. Time to pack the bags. We picked the wrong time to stop scoring goals.
We needed to shoot anywhere but to the center of Khudobin’s chest, but that didn’t happen.
Hdbiker7851
Tim – the chance of winning three more is slim to none. Your right pack the bags. PDB is out of buttons. George, Kelly and PDB created a problem with there dumb activities and now they are paying the price. Vegas pp continues to be nothing even at 5 in 3. Dallas gave them a chance to tie it up to no avail. Why they don’t screen that goalie defies imagination. What is frustrating to watch is seeing them do the same thing over and over and expecting different result. The true definition of stupid
One thing you can say they remain consistent.
Walt
the Vegas PERIMETER Knights.
that is what they should be called, because all they do is float around the outside and shoot long distance marshmallows at the goalie pads.
and they depend totally on their dmen to score goals cuz their forwards refuse to drive to the net, or screen the goalie, or get rebounds and tip-ins.
the top 6 vgk forwards should be ashamed of their performance in this series.
they won’t change, and so it will be all over on Monday night. This is not pessimism, this is factual reality.
Marsh Munroe
Don’t tell me G. Gallant is not laughing his ass off. Peter Debooor
Has tweaked the goal scoring right of this club .
Darin
Couldn’t agree more Ken that this is mostly about style of play. VGK continues to play a regular season style where skill and finesse will prevail most of the time. But not in the playoffs where there is more limited time and space for the cute pretty extra passes and plays.
Other teams are playing playoff type hockey being faster, heavier, harder, and hungrier than VGK. They’re looking out manned, out sized, out hustled, out worked, and getting out of breath as the games and now losses wear on. All that including hot goalies, and ringing posts are not helping matters either. The “pings” are still ringing in my ears!
Up to now the Stars look alot like the Blues of last season, and the Caps before that. If VGK is just looking to out shoot that will not be enough. They will have to change and try something additional, something more, alot more, in hopes of now having to win 3 straight, nevermind after that another 4 games for the ultimate goal of winning the Cup.
If that doesn’t happen I’m afraid the changes will happen in the off season. It will show that this team is built to get to the playoffs, perhaps not built for the playoffs. But only if and until then they are NOT DONE and don’t “pack your bags” as there is still a next game. Continue to root them on and see what happens. It ain’t over till the fat goalie celebrates! Hopefully that’s Lehner or Fleury or both!!
GO KNIGHTS GO!!!!
Mike StG
Benn & Seguin (even Pavelski) were invisible all year and much of playoffs, and finally ‘show up’ against Vegas. And they run into another goalie playing over his head. Most unfortunate for us. Very little chance (<15%) they come back, esp the way Stars are playing. Heard Blessing say yesterday VGK plays with an arrogance as if they’re the better team. Maybe this will wake them up to reality. Dallas IS a better team, they just weren’t playing up to their potential earlier in season. Let’s not forget they beat the Avs as well. Nice thing is the off season will be short. The draft and free agency will follow the cup final almost immediately. Should be an interesting off season, especially now with their front end vulnerabilities exposed.
DOC aPositiveFan
7 game series.
3 to go.
hdbiker7851
DOC my man I know your a positive fan no question there but I also know from previous conversation your a realist. I admire your optimism and would love to see you right but seriously question if it will go pass 5 – I hope I am wrong. This situation has similar characteristics of yr 2 versus the sharks only the 3 – 1 is reversed this time around. I wish Vegas had it in them to perform the miracle it will take, that said they certainly haven’t demonstrated that ability up to now. Their interviews after these games are pretty sad as they don’t appear to have the fire in their gut to change things. Attitude will surpass skill and talent every day of the week – having just potential will not cut it in playoff hockey and I know you realize that better than most.even if you care not to acknowledge it – I guess that’s what makes a positive fan and that’s where I fall short. We we see what happens Monday evening assuming they show-up to play with an attitude that will result in a game 6.-
Julie
“Lehner has been bailing them out all series”.
I know there is a hesitation to criticize Lehner publicly because of his mental health issues, but is it really too sensitive to offer any constructive criticism? He is playing NHL hockey in the playoffs after all. I guess there is no pressure there, just the concern for his mental health.
For Pete’s sake.
He hasn’t been getting barely over 20 while the other backup goalies are taking high 30″s. Lehner still gives up more. I’ll never forget the jazz hands goal. Once he goes down on his knees, he can’t move quickly to another position. I’m no expert, but Ray Charles can see that. He is not tested, and when he gets close, you might see 2 or 3 good saves over a few games. He is lucky Vancouver and Dallas don’t have a stronger offense. Now, someone will no doubt tell me that our guys were doing well and helping him, keeping the scoring down against Vegas. I’m sure that’s true in a few places. But “bailing them out”? If we want Lehner to improve, help by being objective.
The rest of the guys, still not “showing up”.
Praying for a miracle.
hdbiker7851
Julie – I don’t know if you had the opportunity to see Jason post on Lehner but he was and is dead on concerning him. Brief and to the point which I am sure didn’t impress many people but the truth hurts and probably explains why other clubs just kept on walking.
Julie
Hi, HD, I did see Jason’s post and I agree. Also, I have relatives in Dallas, so I got the call today and couldn’t say a whole lot about the series. Then they offered their opinions on how the fallout will play out if Vegas can’t win 3 in a row now. Always fun when family gets involved, ha ha.
Tim
Ken your wrong the series is over. We play hard then a stupid turnover by Nate S. and a stupid penalty behind the net by McNabb game over. I don’t get Marshy he can’t score but has this little man mentality of a chip on his shoulder and he’s good for a stupid penalty a game. I could go on but what’s the point.
Daryl
There is still a chance…. BUT don’t hold your breath. Maybe this is karma for the way they treated Gallant;The way they treated Engelland in more than likely his final year; The way they treated MAF who got them where we are; The wasted money on Reaves, Carrier and Holden; Be possibly the move of hiring your rivals former coach.
I’m so disappointed in this team and the coaching. They have the talent to win it all so I don’t know what the problem is. For me it comes back to PDB. The team does the same thing over and over and over again even if it doesn’t work. This isn’t like football (or hockey) practice where you run a play until you get it right. If it’s not working you have to fix it right away.
I know this won’t Harford but it’s time to play Engelland, Merrill, Hague, and Brown!!!
Tim
Daryl, What is Engelland going to contribute he’s old and slow and the game has passed him by. Personally I like Carrier he’s only 26 and he skates well and hits hard I think he has an upside. Holden you mean the guy with the 70 foot shot he’s useless and signed for two more years a real head scratcher. Reeves being an enforcer I’m ok with him. Now my dead weight besides holden is Stastny 34 years old making 6.5 million traded. Fleury will be 36 making 7 million with all the hard feelings he’s traded. Holden traded I hope. Marshy He’ll turn 30 and I don’t see an upside traded. McNabb a penalty a game with no offense decent defense Traded. Hopefully Cody Glass, Peyton Krebs and Jack Dugan can put some young blood in the team. Nick Hague and Dylan C. could be ready defensively. They may struggle at the start but may be better at playoff time next year. I’d like to see them keep Tomas Nosek I like how he plays. I’m sure they’ll sign Stephenson Nick Cousins not sure. Of coarse Merrill and your boy engelland are gone. England may get an assistant coaching job with the Silver Knights which he deserves. DeBoer had a good record since he’s been here but could he be on the hot seat? Whats happened to this team in 3 years of existence if you wrote a book people would think it’s fiction because this is just to crazy to be true. I’ll top it off with this they fire DeBoer and rehire Gallant now that would be the cherry on top of the Sunday.
Daryl
Tim,
Yes Engo is slow but he still plays defense, knows how to get in shooting lanes, and is physical in front of the net and along the boards. I’m not saying he should be signed again for next season but maybe he could give this team a spark. I would switch him and Holden out. Our PK was better with him in it as well. Face it, our defense right now isn’t very good even giving up low shots. Our guys for this entire playoffs have been manhandled in front of out goalies
I like how physical Carrier plays but other than that what does he do. As for Reaves, I was talking about his contract not him being on the team. Experts were laughing at the contract he got.
And as for MAF, PDB says he had two starting goalies which is BS. MAF had a great record against the previous team and he was used for a back to back game. I have nothing against Lehner, I’m just not so sure he is better than MAF.
Tim
Daryl, Reasonable points
Julie
Daryl, just to add on, firing Gallant, firing Prior (and lying about it), replacing Fleury (and lying about it)….all in less than a year. Actually, those three things happened in 3 months looking at the timing of them. Don’t recall about Engelland. PDB coached SJS to be shady, and that’s what he brought to Vegas, shady stuff. A dark cloud over a young team that means a lot to its community. I hope Foley is watching what McCrimmon and McPhee did to his team. Karma indeed – and with some luck, it will bite DeBoer, McCrimmon and McPhee right in the a$$.
Hdbiker7851
Julie like have been saying place the blame for what’s transpired starting with Gallant and especially this goalie debalkal right where it belongs on the three heads George, Kelly and PDB. I don’t recall the particulars about The PDB contract -length,etc. There has been nothing but issues from February but just not as obvious as this play off run – which could easily end this evening. I hope that’s not the case and Pete pulls a rabbit or two out of a hat like what occurred last yr when he was on the other side. Here’s to a game 6
Mike StG
Though I still think it’s pretty much over, if by chance Vegas finds their offensive game and wins the next 3 to make the cup final, I think they’ll win it all. That’s a huge “if”.
***BTW, although the D has made some untimely mistakes and penalties, overall their defense has been good allowing 6 goals in 4 games (1.5 GPG).
Walt
the Knights should be getting only one type of penalty, and that is goaltender interference.
and every goal should be challenged by the opponent coach, because that would mean that the VGK forwards are getting in the face of Khudobin.
But, instead all we get is Vegas floating around the outside, and depending on dmen to score goals.
the fact that they did not even get players in front of the net with a 5-on-3 PP was the last straw.
and also kneeler Reaves has done nothing to get in the face of the goalie, which should be his prime focus….instead, all he does is chirp at 4th line nobodies.
Julie
Today is a new day and I am feeling a win for Vegas! And call me crazy, but I would not be surprised to see a new strategy and perhaps a chance of Fleury. Time for Rocky to use the southpaw and quit holding back (saw that in a movie somewhere). Yo Knights! You can do it!!!! 🙂
Daryl
Unfortunately, at this point in the game PDB has to stick with Lehner. He’s made his choice and if he is trying to get the team to follow him he needs to stick with his pick. Not saying I like it or that I would do it differently, but this is usually how things work
Julie
Hi, Daryl! I don’t disagree. Just hoping. I read this analysis in Rotowire and I held on to some hope 🙂 :
Takes second straight loss
September 12, 2020
Lehner stopped 18 of 20 shots in Saturday’s 2-1 loss to the Stars in Game 4.
ANALYSIS
Lehner was unable to protect a one-goal lead, allowing Joe Pavelski and Jamie Benn to put the Stars ahead by the end of the second period. The Golden Knights were unable to break through in the third, and Lehner took his second consecutive loss. The Swede has leaked five goals on his last 43 shots, which hasn’t been good enough in a tightly-contested series. A starting goalie for Monday’s Game 5 has yet to be named.