Why do the Golden Knights stink at home?
It really is the million-dollar question right now and everyone likely feels the same as Reilly Smith after the last game.
I feel like if we knew, we’d have flipped it around a while ago. -Smith
The players mostly seem to be on the same page chalking it up to coincidence and/or the randomness of an 82-game season more than anything else.
The coach, on the other hand, has a much more specific view of what’s going wrong.
At home our problem is that we’re trying to make plays early in the game against every team that comes in here. They’re ready to play and it’s not working out. It’s what we do well on the road to other teams. It’s checking well, getting pucks back, and taking advantage of our opportunities. -Bruce Cassidy
The buzzword for Cassidy is puck management.
That’s the mindset I’ve got to get across to the guys at home, we have to manage the puck better. Once they go over the boards, the onus is on them. They’re the ones that have to have to manage the puck better and that’s our problem right now, that’s why we’re .500 at home. -Cassidy
The head coach believes pressing for offense is not only what is keeping his team from being able to score, but also forcing them to concede. His stress has been on taking what the game gives you, which changes against each team they play.
We say, there’s always ice in front or behind the other team. Tonight it was behind them. That means the puck needs to go in behind them and forecheck the puck back. Or play indirect so to speak because they have good sticks and good structure in the neutral zone. So that’s what we need to fix, the mindset. We can’t expect from the puck drop to come out and be making tic-tac-toe plays. It’s just not going to happen against good teams. You might get away with it periodically but most nights you won’t and it’s shown here. -Cassidy
He expounded a bit on the concept of ice in front or behind the opposing team by saying that often early in games teams are looking to avoid mistakes and thus defensemen have good gaps and the neutral zone is clogged up. When that’s the case, Cassidy believes the Golden Knights are still trying to force their way through making fancy skillful plays and it’s leading to turnovers and transition chances the other way.
He believes that as the game goes on, especially if his team is playing the right way early, that the ice will open up in front of the defensemen and that’s the time for VGK’s skill to shine through.
We’re a little bit stubborn and we’ve got to get through this mentality that were just going to make plays right off the puck drop. Teams are ready to go and I need to get that point across. We’re going to keep pounding away at that and at some point I hope the guys are sick of fricken losing in this building and play the right way like we did for the last 40 minutes and take your chances that way because we’re a pretty good hockey team when we play that way. -Cassidy
Luckily, or maybe unluckily, the Golden Knights have many opportunities to fix it coming up. 11 of the next 14 games will be played at T-Mobile Arena including a rematch of an emotional game with the Buffalo Sabres tonight.
Ellen
Maybe at home because the fans are so loud that they can hear each other when they’re giving each other place they wanna do maybe everybody should quiet down in the stadium .
SMH
Not to be pedantic, but I sure do miss the lost art of proofreading before hitting the “Post Comment” button…
Tyler Durden
That’s some real year 6 VGK hockey knowledge in a nutshell.
Sorvino
Huh?
knights fan in minny
it could be a tough one tonight tuch and tage are piling up the points
THE hockey GOD
too many distractions on home ice, the grape stomper needs to get serious if he really wants the team to win; stop with the NHL woke bull shit, stop with the uniform changing every five seconds, stop with the silly antics that add nothing to play on ice. First distraction I would can is that stupid PA announcer that yells , too loud, at the most inappropriate time. PA announcer is a joke.
Tim
11 out of the next 14 at home that scares the BaJesus out of me. Solution do you have one I don’t except with each loss the noose get’s a little tighter. Will we have no legs tonight, or no puck luck, or to many injuries, pick your poison but there will be excuses. Like I said yesterday we have the perfect situation at home before the holidays with family and can’t win a game
Jailbird
For Christ sakes, what a bunch of whiners. Go get em tonight boys and shut these negative Nancy’s up!
knights fan in minny
let them have it jailbird
Emmanuel
Why is it so hard to comment all of a sudden, new program?
Anyways they need to swap out and bring up new guys for the bottom 6. Guys like Leschyshyn, Amadio and Howden are terrible offensively and not much to talk about defensively. Id rather give a second rate prospect a chance.