Most of the focus over the past few games since the All Star break has been on the offense. It’s with good reason as a team that often goes through scoring droughts has posted 19 goals in four games with all but one coming at even strength.
The other end of the ice is where the Golden Knights have really been winning games though. Their ability to limit the opposition has helped allow the attack more time to work and it’s also fed the transition game Vegas relies on so heavily.
It’s not just the defensemen that are making this happen.
Part of the reason (our opponents) haven’t generated much is what we’ve done between the blue lines. I think it’s a combination of our forwards working really hard to get out of the other end and working back to help. It’s all gap related, if our D can have confidence to close their gap they’ll kill some of those plays knowing the forward will cover for them if they don’t get there in time. That’s just a team playing the right way and it’s best for the group if we play that way. -Bruce Cassidy
Where that has shown up most is Vegas’ ability to limit odd-man rushes. In the past four games, they’ve only allowed two true odd-man rushes, once against Minnesota and another against Anaheim. Cassidy also believes forwards reloading to help the defensemen in the neutral zone has helped their offense as well.
That’s the selling part for me. You tell the forwards, if you work back really hard and we’re on time there’s a pretty good chance you’ll get yourself a puck five seconds later with a chance to attack and I think we’ve done a good job of that. -Cassidy
There’s no denying the impact the group of six healthy defensemen have had on the game as well. With both Zach Whitecloud and Shea Theodore back in the lineup, the Golden Knights look more comfortable in every aspect of defending.
Our breakouts are cleaner so that’s helped us defend better. What we’ve done with the puck has allowed us to play less defense too. We have the puck so we don’t have to defend and now when we do we have more energy because we’re not running around in our own end and we can close off plays quicker. -Cassidy
However, there have been some portions of the games in which the defending has broken down, and Cassidy points to a specific aspect of the game as to why.
Some of that goes to shift length. The 2nd period we got away from it and our shift length wasn’t good. Now we’re spending more time in our own end because one guy is coming off and we’re trying to get a puck back with three and a half guys forechecking and the other guys are scrambling to get back in the zone. That’s why we didn’t have the same attack opportunities as we had in the 1st period. -Cassidy
Nonetheless, over the course of the past four games, the Golden Knights have done everything you can ask as a unit to help make games easy on the goaltenders. They are rarely allowing odd-man rushes, they aren’t spending much time in the defensive zone and they are blocking shots.
The challenge is about to pick up though.
The defense has been excellent in these four games, but we have to be mindful that the four teams we’ve played are not high-end high-octane teams so tomorrow is a great test for us. -Cassidy
If the Golden Knights can continue defending against the better offensive teams they are about to face, things will continue looking bright in Vegas.
Sorvino
I guess I’ll be the first to comment on a story that’s been sitting here for a while, and my comment is that nobody cares about good news regarding the Vegas, Golden Knights.
We want bad news, and we want to complain and whine about it. We want Vegas to have their four game winning streak snapped because it’s no fun. Hopefully Tampa destroys Vegas tonight.
Ken, can you provide us some good old stories about Marc-André Fleury’s infectious smile, making his teammates play better. Can you tell us how Pete DeBoer destroys power plays on every team except Vegas. I really miss Tomas Nosek for some inexplicable reason. What is that superstar doing these days?
Tim
Sorvino, you’ve got it wrong it’s not the winning or losing it’s the comments of some of the loonies that turned me off to the site. Like I said in my last post weeks ago the Inmates were running the Asylum and Ken could care less so I opted out as simple as that.
THE hockey GOD
sovrino >>>another hater who can’t stand free speech or opinions of others.
good riddance
move to RUSSIA where everyone thinks like you, and shoots anyone who doesn’t .
what a marooooon !
THE hockey GOD
Tim
why do you hate america and constitution so much?
all your ilk does is whine and cancel culture.
Go to hell, you vultures
Scum bags.
Jailbird
Can our goaltending and defense hold up against the bolts tonight? We will see. Need to get at least a point out of the game. Go boys!
THE hockey GOD
VGK need to step it up a notch today against
one of the more
elite teams in league. After the all star game they have beating teams
that they should beat.
THE hockey GOD
in other news, in real world, lib tard heads are exploding today, as yet again teflon don is is exonerated, they keep trying to bring him down because he ran for highest office in the land. The haters continue to hate.
The long awaited important sections of the Georgia report, which do not even mention President Trump’s name, have nothing to do with the President because President Trump did absolutely nothing wrong. The President participated in two perfect phone calls regarding election integrity in Georgia, which he is entitled to do – in fact, as President, it was President Trump’s Constitutional duty to ensure election safety, security, and integrity…Between the two calls, there were many officials and attorneys on the line, including the Secretary of State of Georgia, and no one objected, even slightly protested, or hung up. President Trump will always keep fighting for true and honest elections in America!”
fuck these retards to all high heaven, they hate america, they hate the constitution, and they are on path to total destruction of USA. From their sick twisted school agenda targeting innocent children, to their defunding of police , to their utter ruination of our once great cities like Chicago, San Fransicko, New York, Portland, Seattle, LA, etc. Every blue run city is turning into a third world shit hole.
sez me
ThG
former season ticket holder
Thumps up for your comments here!
Jeff
Why the heel do you post this shit here?
Jeff
*hell
Sorvino
How is Vegas in 2nd place in the Western Conference? How do they keep doing this year after year? Makes no sense. I think they should be the worst team in the league. The coach is a joke! Where did they find this Cassidy clown? Is this his first coaching gig? I have never even heard of him. The management is a bunch of incompetent morons. The owner in particular is the worst. Folley or Foley or whatever the hell his stupid name is has no passion or will to have a competitive team. He could not care less. Why can’t they find another McDavid to play on this team? The defense is the worst in the league. Shea Theodore should be converted to a forward. The way they have played in the last 4 games in particular is disgusting. Can we all agree that they have won some very close flukey games. They should probably be 0-4 in their last 4 games. My final prediction on this terrible team is that they go 8-17-2 the rest of the way which would put them at 88 points. This sucks because they will miss the playoffs but not finish low enough to get a shot at drafting Connor Bedard.
I ask that the owner of this trainwreck team sell it immediately or at the very least fire the entire front office and trade every single player they have at the trade deadline and start from scratch.
THE hockey GOD
+alert+
+alert+
crazy rant above
someone fell of the gravy train ! Forgot their meds today !
sarcasm
Sorvino
ROTFL
knights fan in minny
well said THG
THE hockey GOD
ty KFIM
former season ticket holder
We lost out on getting a good leader in place of Stone, Ryan O’Reilly to the Leafs, but they gave up 1, 2, 3, & 5th round draft picks in a 3 way deal with the Wild……sheeeeeeeet