Recap: It was the first battle of eight between the West Division’s top two teams. The Colorado Avalanche traveled to Vegas for two games before the clubs face off outside at Lake Tahoe.
The 1st period was tight with strong goaltending from both teams. The Golden Knights were awarded two early power play opportunities but couldn’t take advantage. The Avalanche tested Marc-Andre Fleury but came up empty after the opening twenty minutes.
Max Pacioretty broke through early in the 2nd period with his 7th goal of the season. Both teams traded penalties but neither converted into a goal. Fleury was flawless in the middle frame stopping all 11 Colorado shots on net. Vegas held a 1-0 advantage after 40 minutes.
The Golden Knights pressured and held the Avalanche forwards scoreless in the third. Fleury’s brilliant performance earned him a second shutout of the season.
With their 1-0 win the Golden Knights improve their record to 10-2-1. Vegas and Colorado resume their series on Tuesday night. Game is scheduled for 7 PM PT. (Recap by Jason)
Analysis: Colorado made life very easy on the Golden Knights for the first 10 minutes of the game, but the final 50 Vegas earned every bit of the shutout they recorded. The Golden Knights were terrific defensively all night, led by Alex Pietrangelo. Fleury was excellent in the net but everyone deserves props for a game in which they took care of the puck and did a great job controlling an incredibly dangerous offense. (Analysis by Ken)
Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs Colorado Avalanche at T-Mobile Arena
- Valentine’s Day is the new Thanksgiving
Ken’s Three VGK Stars
*** Mark Stone
** Alex Pietrangelo
* Marc-Andre Fleury
Let's talk about the best game of the year. https://t.co/GZZAXJzz0x
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) February 15, 2021
For the first time all season I can say this, that was a well-played hockey game on both sides and the Golden Knights put together a complete effort to win it. Easily VGK's best of the year.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) February 15, 2021
Heart-shaped donuts! #MarcAndreDonuts pic.twitter.com/BmVHEIHTFM
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) February 15, 2021
Goes without saying at this point, but I'm going to say it anyway.
VGK's goalie has been excellent today.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) February 15, 2021
Pietrangelo has been on the ice for 10:48 of Nathan MacKinnon's 14:49. Pietrangelo has a positive Corsi and shot share, even scoring chance share and has done it with a 29% O-Zone start percentage. Impressive. https://t.co/ZM00oKfSMh
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) February 15, 2021
The Noodle King
Great overall game. Sure glad Flower is still around…… 😉
Pistol Pete
Great effort by two of the best teams in the NHL. Let’s see what VGK can do to improve for Tuesday!
Pistol Pete
Actually ESPN lists Coghlan at 6’3” 187; I saw that before; did not know he is that tall. 187 may well not account for those pounds I heard he put on.
DOC (Go Knights Go)
KNIGHTS WIN, again!
Spirited game against two of the top teams in the league.
Flurey on fire.
Young D guys played well.
Greg Martinez
Great job
Pistol Pete
Let’s see if when Theodore comes back Holden goes back to the taxi squad. Coghlan has been proving he’s an NHL defenseman. Played very well this afternoon against one of the best teams in the NHL.
Petro/Martinez
Theodore/Coghlan
Whitecloud/Hague
Tim
Pistol Pete my thoughts exactly. Holden is a good guy but you can’t hold back these 21 year olds to pacify a 32 year old.
Pistol Pete
Whitecloud keeps improving offensively and Hague has been offense oriented since his junior days. I have said it before but DeBoer’s strategy has D men rushing and it’s been plain to see with Whitecloud and Coghlan is offensive naturally. Just wait for Petro to fully click with the system and new teammates. He played like an $8.8m guy today when it counted against the toughest competition.
Tim
Like most what can you say about Flower he is the man. Great game I just love watching the young kids I’m really impressed with Coghlan he’s catching on quick. Hague is a battler looks OK. Kolesar and Glass seem to be improving and of coarse who I still consider one of the kids but gets better every game is Whitecloud. Were going to have a big tough blue line for a while.
Pistol Pete
That rush by Coghlan, the pass to set up Patchy’s SOG and the rebound he caught in the air, very impressive skater, plus I think he added 10 lb. to his 6’2” frame. How these hungry AHL’ers can come up!
aaron
So glad that we won and Fleury standing on his head to do it!
Kind of wished we didn’t sign Lehner and instead got a cheap, decent goalie as #2… we could have had one more guy for our offense who can win faceoffs, etc. and we wuold be good!
But what about McNabb now? With Coghlan and Hague in, there is no room for him and Holden. Well, there are injuries and tiredness, I’m sure all of them will play enough games to be an asset for the team.
Pistol Pete
He’s only 30 but immediately thought of Petro when I saw this. He’s going to be an asset for the VGK for many years to come.
https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/30901917/the-nhl-best-worst-week-secrets-chicago-blackhawks-defenseman-duncan-keith-longevity
Daryl
He very well could be but I wouldn’t listen to anything ESPN says about hockey!!!!
Pistol Pete
I thought from the onset Alec Martinez was a good fit for the VGK and he’s off to a strong start this season 8 pts +10. I admire his trademark last guy off the ice routine as he rallies his teammates.
It’s got to be super cool for Whitecloud, Hague and Coghlan to be mentored by veteran D like Theodore, Martinez and Pietrangelo.
Pistol Pete
According to yesterday’s NBC Sports broadcast of the Avs game, VGK is the tallest team in the NHL at 6’2″+ and second heaviest at 205+.
THE hockey GOD
yes i saw that stat when they listed it, interesting I wonder how height and weight correlate with skill and speed. And how much of that stat is skewed by a couple of goons on team who have neither skill nor speed ? Maybe we can have the stat man look a that in more depth?
Pistol Pete
Size definitely does not preclude speed and skill. Sure smaller is on the average faster but size is very important for grinding out wins against good teams like Colorado. Think playoffs where 2-3 goal games can be the norm.
THE hockey GOD
Good team effort by VGK against a very good team coming off a layoff. Imagine if this were playoff time of year ?!
There is no doubt that when AVS get their better players back, when their conditioning kicks in, and then they get their timing they are better team by far than VGK.
So VGK needs to get better. HOW?
Fleury needs a rest, will coach give it to him or waste him early needlessly ?
PS TRUMP
won, all rallies today on President’s day are for Trump. America knows who really won.
Buckeye63
Really? Keep the political shit outta here.
THE hockey GOD
keep non related hockey posts by free speech, anti american scum
OUT OF HERE
Julie
It was great that Vegas kept Colorado from scoring. Fleury was amazing! I hope PDB does let him rest and maybe Dansk plays next game if Lehner is still unavailable. I wish they would be transparent about Lehner and what the issue is.
I have a few Canadian hockey experts in the family, and they praised Fleury and agreed with Pacioretty that they need to generate more offensively. Their consensus seems to agree with you, HG, that there were still too many turnovers, incomplete plays, and puck control issues on both sides. We know that Colorado is generally a solid team, so if this is what they are like coming from a pause, they most likely will get stronger. I think Vegas can fix their issues and Lehner does need to step it up (I say that referring to him prior to his mysterious injury). It may be a style or coaching thing, but it would be great if we saw more driving straight up to the net like McDavid once in awhile. The young guys are just getting better and better. Very cool.
THE hockey GOD
🙂 🙂 happy prez day Julie, have a nice one !
Pistol Pete
Wait til we get a look at Krebs, Elvenes and others with Krebs currently heading the list. I can see why they don’t want to expose Kolesar to waivers…a big body who can skate.
Pistol Pete
Personally I think VGK can keep up with Avs at full strength. Optimistic yes in any case all imho. All speculative until the results are in but I think both teams are capable of winning. Good teams.
THE hockey GOD
free speech. you anti AMERICAN hater
you don’t like free speech? Move to Chicom or cuba or
register for that party on left that likes cancel cultrue,
yes. REALLY, get your SH it out of here
sb
Fluery is playing his best hockey in a decade ………. thanks to Lehner being his competition. That $5 mil seems expensive, but to get Fluery’s SA% over .920 is a bargain. Still truly need that 1st line playmaking center for those two weapons Stone and Pac. The failure of the PP, not just to score, but to enter the offensive zone effectively and to win offensive zone faceoffs. Stephenson has been terrific, but he’s needed for Tuch and Glass making that line dangerous and keep the pressure off lines 1 and 2. Gotta gain $4.3 mil by trading off zero prouction Reaves, Carrier and Nosek in favor of Roy, Brown and Kolesar. That Team might rival Tampa and be a serious Cup contender.
Pistol Pete
There were DuBois rumors ahead of the Laine trade but it seemed impossible to do cap wise without trading a name forward. I think most agree VGK could use another power center. It’s too early for Krebs but time on the Silver Knights and another 10-15 lbs. and he could be the one. I’ve seen him listed recently at 6’0” where before it was 5’11”.
Pistol Pete
Silver Knights roster lists Krebs at 6’0” 187 5 pts in 4 games. If WHL does not start back up he finishes his juniors career in Henderson.
Pistol Pete
Coyotes beat the Blues again. 4-1-1 over that six game segment. How weak ARE the Coyotes?
Ken Boehlke
Or how weak are the Blues?
Daryl
As I said before, some teams just have another’s number. Coyotes are NOT a strong team.