Recap: The Golden Knights traveled north to Salt Lake City to participate in their third exhibition game. Vegas goaltender Robin Lehner took net for his first preseason game facing off against the LA Kings.
LA took the quick lead 1:45 into the game picking up a loose rebound and sneaking it by Lehner. The King’s added to their lead early in the middle frame to double up the Golden Knights 2-0 after 40 minutes of play.
Vegas prospect Daniil Miromanov gave his team some life in the third period with a wicked wrist shot. LA would eventually regain their two goal lead on the power play and win 3-1 in Salt Lake City.
The Golden Knights preseason record drops to 1-2 with their 3-1 defeat. Vegas and LA will face off again tomorrow night at T-Mobile Arena. Puck drops 7 PM PT. (Recap by Jason)
Analysis: The Golden Knights didn’t really look all too interested in this game. Never really got going as the monotony of the preseason rolls on. (Recap by Ken)
Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs. Los Angeles Kings preseason game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City.
- DeBoer wants to learn from NFL coaching staffs
Ken’s Three VGK Stars
*** Nic Roy
** Daniil Miromanov
* Chandler Stephenson
He's been very willing to step in front of shots too. https://t.co/l4Y4oTgZuJ
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) October 1, 2021
The Golden Knights trail 2-0, have 12 shots on goal, and are 0 for 3 on the power play. Normally, this would be concerning. But, this is a preseason game, so the concern meter hasn't flinched.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) October 1, 2021
New away helmet sponsor for VGK. pic.twitter.com/ZxAhCbQGJH
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) October 1, 2021
THE hockey GOD
LA king prospects>>>>>>>VGK prospects (= nms , not much stock). Maybe they do better tonight, don’t expect to see krebs in back to backs, but what do I know ? No one really making an effort to break line up. Maybe patrick, but has some work to do. All the players making effort seem to get hurt (Roy and Kolesar).
Richard Santomauro
The Kings out skated VGK all night long, were first to the puck.
People, this is a statement on COACHING. It is the coach’s primary responsibility to get every player motivated to play. I cannot recall VGK ever not being motivated to play under Gallant. I don’t think I need to expound on this point.
P-E-R-I-O-D.
For me, Krebs is finished at the NHL for this year. He needs a year or maybe more of AHL time. So far, the only thing that Krebs has accomplished is to lower his trade value.
Kolesar continues to be unable to hit the side of a barn with the puck.
The positives?
Both Cotter and Brown are my top two players so far in the preseason. I still like how Patrick is always in the right spot at the right time as well.
Lehner? I will just say that this was his first appearance. He looked extremely good at times.
Daryl
Krebs deginateky needs more development tal time in AHL. Not for his skills but his physique. Brown has looked good thus far and I see no reason we don’t see him this season. Lehner showed that even after losing weight he still has horrible rebound control.
Richard Santomauro
Korczak and Miromanov? Great future prospects, but not for this season.
on further review
The Vgk look awful this preseason. they look slow, sloppy, and sluggish. in fact, that could be their top line this year…slow on LW, sloppy at center, and sluggish at RW
but seriously, that second period was a disgrace, they could not even get out of their own end.
this team looks complacent…and why not when you have a bunch of veterans with big comfy contracts, and a subpar group of prospects that are not threatening to take a spot from anyone…it is just go thru the motions type hockey.
IF this leaks over into the real season, then I expect a major trade or coaching change to try to wake up a dormant collection of individuals…notice I did not say “team”…they don’t deserve that title until they start looking like one.
Where is the hustle? where is the effort? where is the forecheck? where did the real VGK players disappear to?
Nope, all I see is a bunch of strangers on cruise control. I hope they can turn on the switch beginning Oct 12, but I highly doubt it, things don’t work that way.
PDB has a history of declining results after a couple years in each spot where he has been….Fla, NJ, SJ and now Vegas. I don’t see the urgency from him about this dropoff in the Vgk play
I know, it is just preseason, relax. well I don’t remember any other Vgk preseason where they looked this feeble, this bad, this disorganized. I hope they can show more effort tonight, but comparing the Vgk to other top teams shows a clear glaring lack of effort, urgency, and hockey sense. They said they want to get better every game.. did that look like they were better last night than game 2? hell no it didn’t
DC
On Further, That sums it up nicely.
Richard Santomauro
Yep, it’s just preseason — don’t sweat it. The real VGK will show up.
Tell that the the Kings. They were playing hard. We’re not seeing the same level of effort out of our top 6 or top 4 defensemen.
The new guys are trying, but Cotter and Brown are the true stand outs. I am pretty impressed with Patrick. Neither Dadanov or Howden have given me any indication that either can be as good as Alex Tuch.
You are spot on about PDB. He has to prove himself and he’s failed to inspire and motivate this team, and the power play still doesn’t look ready.
BUT IT’S ONLY PRESEASON
CHILL!
Tim
The eye test shows me Coghlan looks really good. I like Brown’s effort but I noticed yesterday he’s a little slow on his skates maybe why he’s always been a AHL player. Krebs as most have commented doesn’t look ready for the big time. I really don’t see much in Patrick yet. As a team we looked slow compared to LA. Say what you want we were still 0-3 on the PP. Lehner hurt should be ready for opening day kind of scares me. Not sure what’s up with McNabb and Theadore short term long term who knows. Korczak and Cotter have played decent another year in the AHL should help them.Dugan may be another college dud one year left on his contract tells me he’ll probably head back east after this year. I was hoping he could play seeing he’s 23 big guy with a lot of experience but it may not be. Kolesar again showed me it’s time yo move on from him he couldn’t put the puck in the ocean. As much as WI’d hate to say this watching the team giving Buffalo Smith, Krebs, Hague and a first round for Eichel is looking better and better, Hague is replaceable with Coghlan and Korczak, Smith at 5 million on an expiring contract can be replaced, Krebs may be another Cody Glass, and a first who cares the way we draft. Have Buffalo retain half of Eichels contract and I’d do it. Let Eichel get his surgery and have Tuch and him ready to go in January. I can’t believe I’m saying this it’s a gamble but we do live in Vegas.
DC
I attended this game in the Vivint arena. Was expecting to see Vegas come out flying during the warmups. Not so. There was a kind of malaise in their appearance. They were lacking energy. There were a few players who showed some bursts of energy, but it was minimal. It wasn’t due to a small fanbase. At least 2/3rds of the the crowd was cheering for Vegas. They shouted “night” during the national anthem and shouted “Go Knights Go!” plenty of times. So what happened at puck drop? You guessed it, the slow start in the warmup carried over into the game. The Kings out hustled the Knights to loose pucks. The Kings looked hungry while the Knights looked disheveled, never quite able to get 100% into the game. Ferguson and Lehner looked sharp, however. Well, its just preseason and every team needs a rude wakening once and a while, but definite improvements needed if this team hopes to move on in division playoffs.
THE hockey GOD
must have been the bad air from travel and elevation
DC
THE Hockey,
If they can’t handle some bad air and elevation then I wonder what will happen against Colorado who wants payback for last season’s playoff defeat.
Richard Santomauro
I am telling you. This is all about the coach. The lack of motivation and inspiration.
Pete DeBoering.
I am rooting for our team, but I am sticking to my prediction. The Kings will win the Pacific Division. VGK will have to somehow improve if they are going to go as deep in the playoffs.
Kristopher Isom
Lehner looked a little stunned after taking that puck to the face mask .
sb
These Silver Knight AHL’ers, the whole bunch of them, not worth a bucket of warm spit. Vegas doesn’t have a single player below Coughlin that can play in the NHL. I watched Krebs couple of games last season and this season …….. there’s zero NHL level talent there. Same for Dugan. If you can package these AHL’ers in a trade for an experienced, decent NHL’er, make the trade. There is zero NHL level talent in Henderson. These guys are even worse than I imagined.
Contact Tracer
The answer is 8 more expansion teams. Dilution IS the solution. More regulations and more trophy’s for all teams.
Fire DeBoer NOW …. this team needs a motivator to get this collection of islands playing to the actual level of their pay.