Recap: The Golden Knights and Flames matched up for their first time since the 2019-20 season. Both teams came out hard, creating a playoff-type atmosphere. Max Pacioretty gave Vegas a 1-0 lead late in the 1st period.
The 2nd period was tighter with fewer chances for both offenses. The Golden Knights fought off a late penalty to carry their 1-0 lead into the second intermission.
Center Nic Roy quickly doubled Vegas’ lead 1:49 into the final frame. Both teams traded goals but the Golden Knights held on to win. Robin Lehner was sharp in net stopping 24 of 26 shots to preserve a 3-2 Golden Knights victory.
The Golden Knights record improves to 14-10-0 after defeating the first place Flames. Vegas will next host the Dallas Stars on Wednesday night. Puck drop against the Flames is scheduled for 7 PM. (Recap by Jason)
Analysis: For the first 40 minutes of the game the Golden Knights were terrific in all areas of the ice defensively. They were making life incredibly difficult on the Flames which completely stunted their offensive attack. In the 3rd, Vegas did enough to create separation and then withstand the comeback charge from Calgary. Nice win in a spot they needed one. (Recap by Ken)
Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs. Calgary Flames game at T-Mobile Arena.
- SinBin.vegas Podcast
Ken’s Three VGK Stars
*** Max Pacioretty
** Nic Roy
* Mattias Janmark
Very good team win by the Golden Knights tonight.
They frustrated Calgary for 40 minutes and scraped together enough offense to put them in a hole. Then, when CGY started to work through it, VGK held strong (with a bit of help from the posts).
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) December 6, 2021
This finally paid off.
Janmark with a great pass on the rush to set up Roy and then Dadonov's net drive cleans it up.
Give VGK rush chances, they'll kill ya. https://t.co/LFSf1HDCGm
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) December 6, 2021
Lest you forget how good William Karlsson is…
That pass was absurd.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) December 6, 2021
Pistol Pete
I was at that one. That was the VGK that can win the division.
Lehner was excellent. His career SV% is .917, higher than Fleury’s .914. Vasileskiy is .920 just a bit higher than Lehner.
I stand to be corrected but I believe SV% is more telling than GAA. GAA is more supported by defense meaning if you’re in a bad team it goes up and Lehner has been on a lot of bad teams.
Fact is, Lehner makes a lot of saves. No wonder PDB favors him.
Pistol Pete
Here’s Lehner’s playoff stats. Playoffs is when you’re on a good team, better defensive support and your GAA goes down.
GAA 2.19 SV% .919
Excellent.
Pistol Pete
Karlsson looked excellent for his first game back. Speedy and responsible per usual.
Vic
The lucky bounce goal by Calgary gave them life. Very few negatives to discuss in this game, and I rather focus on four lines working their asses off. Excellent D Zone exit most of the game, endless fore and back checking, winning battles, charging the net and takeaways fueled the win. Very rare that all 12 forwards looked good. If they can repeat this type of performance, Eichel can be traded for draft choices (sarc). Please everyone stay healthy and #23 come back soon so #52 can go back to Henderson.
Congrats to our friend MAF….499 wins, 68 shutouts and 52,000 minutes played. Tonight he stoned the Isles in the shootout helping a horrible team creep up the standings.
TS
Great job by my guys! Go LVGK! I love the National Hockey Association!
Tim
Nice win makes me waver who goes when Eichel returns? Janmark had Covid issues if he plays like he did last night it would be tough to let him go. Reilly Smith another trade candidate has been playing well I’d hate to break up the Misfit line. Dadanov has a good presence in front of the net and seems to be getting his MoJo not sure I want to lose him. Of coarse management and coaches see these guys every day so the decision is there’s so it will be interesting. I’m thinking Shea Theadore may be the most expendable he’s at the 5 million mark with lots of term could fetch a good price. I guess we don’t have to worry about it until February so we’ll have a better idea who’s under performing by then.
Pistol Pete
I’m sure they have many options. Usually they come up with the best way of handing these situations. At least they have plenty of time to figure it out. But I agree really all the movable pieces are playing well. Yes Theo but I
would hate to see him go and he played
well last night—this season .68 pts/game +4—he would be sorely missed.
John W
With you – Shea is the odd man out.
If you look at our Playoff issues over the last 2 years (lack of scoring), I would think it would be foolish to deplete our top 9 core. As much as I love Shea ( have a 27 Jersey in Alt Red), I think our defensive depth and defense can withstand his loss.
Tim
Here I go again beating on Kolesar first thankfully he’s back on the fourth line. Kolesar has a problem many athletes do not only in hockey but baseball to. Here’s an example Steve Garvey came up with the Dodgers as a third basemen but had trouble with the throws to first. It wasn’t that he didn’t have the arm it was he would choke on the throw and it got in his head. To solve the situation they moved him to first base where he didn’t have to worry about the throw and had a nice career.
Kolesar suffers the same fate he can have the shot but can’t put it in the net. It’s in his head and unlike Garvey you can’t move him to a different position to solve the problem. The answer is you can’t play him it’s that simple.
John W
Agree. Kolesar is becoming an offensive liability, when everybody else is just getting going. I know we are out of AHL options on him, but we have much better options.
Tim
Kolesar has one goal in 24 games now would Jake L., Paul C., Jonas R., or Pavel D., have more goals we already know the answer to that, The fight he gets into once in a while does that justify him playing I don’t think so. It’s time to cut bait and give someone with a future a chance.
John W
Exactly
Some guys have the touch around the net (see Dadanov). For all his physical gifts, Keegan lacks the important ability to score.
THE hockey GOD
I used to hang out with Steve Garvey (a real pro) and Eddie Mathews in San Diego area after they both retired.
Galdom
Save percentage is not perfect but the best barometer in regards to rating goalies. Some goalies have to face more difficult shots due to leaky defences. Robin Lehner’s numbers continue to be decent and consistent whether he is playing for a strong defence like he did with the Islanders or a poor one like the Chicago Blackhawks. As I said about a month ago, bottom line is that in comparison to his peers he stops the puck at an above average rate. Since 2017-18 (VGK first year in the league) he has the seventh best save percentage among 61 goalies that qualify meaning the 61 goalies that have played over 73 games.
Is he elite? Probably not. Is he competent? Hell yeah. Does he have weaknesses? Yes he does like every goalie does. Not particularly strong on breakaways.
Should he have been the starter in the playoffs two years ago? Of course he should have. He had five shut outs and a .919 save percentage in the playoffs. Should Fleury have been the starter last year? Absolutely. He was better last year and deserved it.
THE hockey GOD
“hould he have been the starter in the playoffs two years ago? Of course he should have. He had five shut outs and a .919 save percentage in the playoffs. Should Fleury have been the starter last year? Absolutely. He was better last year and deserved it.” AGreed, big difference is Fleury whined and cried about not playing. RL did not.
THE hockey GOD
Robin Lehner G, Vegas Golden Knights
Robin Lehner has informed Team Sweden that he won’t participate in the Beijing Olympics.
Lehner announced after Sunday’s win over Calgary that he reached the difficult decision along with his psychiatrist and his family for the betterment of his mental health. “My well being have to come first and being locked down and not knowing what happens if you test positive is too much of a risk for me,” the Vegas netminder posted on Twitter. Lehner is confident that Sweden will have a great team and he expects Jacob Markstrom to lead between the pipes.
LVsc
Big win. I really liked the way that the 3rd line played.
The wingers on the 4th line, Amadio and Carrier, worked very well together. Too bad they had to endure Kolesar as their center. he was 0-7 on faceoffs, and did his usual weak shit.
the 3rd line with Roy, 63, and Janmark played very well.
52 is a disaster. He either falls down skating backward, or fans on the puck and breaks his stick when he tries to shoot. Martinez needs to return ASAP
Tim
I wish we didn’t go to the Olympics were just getting healthy so that 9 day break would be a good time to spend with family and heal some of those bumps and bruises you get playing. Who wants to go to the center of the original Covid breakout I don’t get it.