(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)
With just three games left in the regular season and a lot of rest/illness/injury causing a mishmashed lineup down the stretch, the Golden Knights will have to rely on what got them here once the playoffs begin.
Fortunately, both the forward lines and defense pairs have fallen into place up and down the lineup for Bruce Cassidy.
The top line of Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, and Ivan Barbashev have played a total of 37 games together, nearly double any other forward line combo on the roster. Even though there have been ideas of trying other options, either due to injury or circumstance, nothing ever stuck. Thus, that line will start together in Game 1 of the postseason and they’ll earn the highest share of even-strength minutes.
The middle-six has been a work in progress essentially the entire season. However, with the additions of Brandon Saad and Reilly Smith, it appears they’ve finally found the right mix. Tomas Hertl centers a line with Saad and Pavel Dorofeyev, while William Karlsson has reunited with fellow Misfit, Smith, alongside Victor Olofsson.
That leaves the four players to choose from to make a fourth line that has worked well together in many different forms. The most commonly used group is Tanner Pearson, Nic Roy, and Keegan Kolesar, and that will certainly be the trio in the event that Brett Howden is needed anywhere else up the lineup. But, with the other three lines likely settled in, Howden should slot into the left wing leaving Pearson in the press box to open the postseason.
Howden, Roy, and Kolesar have only played three games together and none since January 12th. That game however was against the likely first round opponent, the Minnesota Wild, and the VGK 4th line was dominant. They outshot Minnesota 6-0, scored a goal (Kolesar), and generated 83% of the expected goal share.
Barbashev-Eichel-Stone
Saad-Hertl-Dorofeyev
Olofsson-Karlsson-Smith
Howden-Roy-Kolesar
Meanwhile, on defense, the plan has shifted as the year went on. Cassidy and his defensive assistant John Stevens initially hoped to use Shea Theodore and Alex Pietrangelo as the top pair. That ended after just six games and Noah Hanifin stepped in with Pietrangelo while Theodore paired back up with Brayden McNabb.
The latter has been a staple for just about the entirety of VGK’s franchise history and they’ll be together to open the postseason. As for Hanifin and Pietrangelo, they played a healthy 44 games together (McNabb/Theodore played 52, no other pair played more than 28) but faced some adversity along the way.
Eventually, the Golden Knights made the swap, moving Nic Hague up to play with Pietrangelo and Zach Whitecloud with Hanifin. That has offered much more stability defensively for both pairs and appears to be the safest, and best, option moving forward.
McNabb-Theodore
Hague-Pietrangelo
Hanifin-Whitecloud
Unlike last postseason when they were still experimenting with lines through the entire first round, this year’s Golden Knights will enter the postseason with a much more cohesive unit. Cassidy won’t be shy to move pieces around if it’s not going well early in the series, but he’ll have a much more solid base to work with this year than he did last.
ThG
Cassidy will change it, he always does.
Meanwhile the face of brain dead liberals shown in this
KSNV News 3 Las Vegas
@News3LV
·
Apr 9
A federal grand jury has indicted Paul Kim, 36, on charges related to a series of fires at a Tesla Collision Center in March.
Henderson One
I am concerned whether Alex Pietrangelo can perform well in the playoffs. He seems to be making mistake after mistake in his passing and in his defending. Are there other options?
JB
Yes! #6, the “K-man”. :)
ThG
there are always options HO
Babe Moore
As long as the Knights are focused, they can take on most challengers. But when they get sloppy or lackadaisical in puck passes, it grinds us to a cold stop. We were lucky to win last night vs. Seattle. Our passing was so sloppy, and the Referees never called penalties against Seattle that were so obvious. That said, please:
* Pass with purpose (and focus)
* Don’t take stupid penalties
* Take the shot, Passing the puck back and forth doesn’t seem to work for us. Take the shot and anticipate rebounds.
Striped shirts
how about a Sinbin article about the shitty officiating lately.
the Vgk can’t even get a PP in their own home arena. what good is a 30% PP if you never get to use it.
effin double standard. the 3 calls against the Vgk were not called when Seattle did the same thing. Howden was hooked on a friggin breakaway, and no call.
Ken Boehlke
I will complain about officials when it is necessary. Recently, there have been a few missed calls against VGK, but there have also been some egregious ones in favor of the Golden Knights. I remember when VGK played EDM in the playoffs and all I heard all series from the Oiler fans was how they never get calls. If having a good power play comes with nonstop whining about referees, I want Steve Spott back.
hdbiker7851
Ken – I am sure you’re kidding about Spott- he was an accident waiting to happen and provided nothing to Vegas.
Larry
To this day I have not figured out what incriminating documents spott holds on his puppet master de boer , nhl executives and owners to religiously hold on to his job without tangible results year after year with rosters stocked full of excellent offensive talent??
Donald J Trump
immigration judge says pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil can be deported
Judge Jamee Comans made her decision Friday after Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a two-page memo arguing Khalil’s presence “would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.”
good bye jew hating, neo fascist , racist, scum bag !!
knights fan in minny
scum bags out
Pistol Pete
Howden-Roy-Kolesar should be a super solid fourth line even more effective than with Carrier. Great place for Howden. Exactly as Jose, Pistol Pete , and other down-to-earthers forecast it. Let’s hope we stay injury free.
Larry
I’m still not on board with Howden being on the 4th line as he can be better utilized elsewhere, I see him as a much better fit on the 2nd line giving Hertl 2 speedy wings to distribute the puck to as he is possessing the puck and creating.
Even though Saad was really good last game I don’t see him as a second line guy, more like a 4th line grinder that would fit with Roy and Kolesar, and if he is the ultimate scratch in favor of Pearson I have no issue with that either.
The biggest question for me is will there be a switch suddenly turned on to VGK being somewhat physical, to finish every check instead of poke checking, to clear the front of the net, to not automatically freezing every time the whistle blows and an opponent is in Hill’s face?
I saw Hanifin throw his body around in 4Nations, will he or can he show that in the playoffs? If Pietrangelo plays is he willing to do the same or as importantly can he? I do expect Barbashev to be physical as well as Howden, its commitment time once we hit April 20.
All the talking heads talk about the length and size of the d-men, except for Shea lol…Whitecloud McNabb and especially Hague have to punish intruders along the walls and in front of the goal, opposing players have to know there is a price to pay once they are in our defensive zone, or for that matter everywhere!
Pistol Pete
Larry imo Saad is the more talented player compared to Howden. Howden is good and is having a wonderful season but when you look at Saad’s career pts/game and goals per 82 games he’s a level above Brett. Saad is as fast even at his age being 5 years older plus he’s almost as tall and almost 15 lb. heavier. He’s been decent on the Hertl line and I will be surprised if Cassidy moves him. Howden should work well on the Roy line. He’s heavy enough and will play that style. Plus he brings 22 goals and counting.
Larry
We can agree to disagree on this subject but there is no way Saad matches Howden’s motor and quickness… my only question is whether Saad possesses the mucking and grinding to be a 4th liner as I cannot recall a single instance where he has registered a hit and layed a body on an opponent?
Larry
On a separate subject, I’m still rooting for the kings to win for the sole purpose to have home ice advantage over the &$)@& oilers and possibly/ finally send them packing in the first round!!
sb
Saad is not and never has been a grinder. That’s never been his game. He is not a 4th line grinder. Play him or sit him, but he isn’t a physical, grinding forward. Howden better fits that role.
TS
Larry, i noticed tge announcers @ 4 Nations were quite impressed with Hanifin, and i was surprised at his intensity as well..
I wonder which Hanifin we’ll see at Playoff time…
Larry
Everyone should be hungry to attain the ultimate goal, but especially and even moreso those that have come nowhere close to that their whole careers!
Pistol Pete
MIN lost to CGY squandering its most recent chance to go further up on STL for the #1 WC. Still lead by two RW’s.
JB
Ok, we honor Marchy tonight, then, beat the Preds to clinch the division!
PJT
STL, WPG and LAK are big physical teams that forecheck hard. We would need a big physical guy on our fourth line to do that. Leaving #70 out might be an issue.
sb
Pearson should be that guy on the 4th line. Howden should be with Karlsson and Smith. Olfosson sits, odd man out.
Canada 3 USA 2
IMO
Not concerned about Pietrangelo. At worst he will be competent enough to provide top 4 minutes, maybe not the horse anymore but he will be good during our long playoff run. He took the 4 Nations off to try and get healthy. He has showed us what his priorities. Play for the greatest hockey nation in the world at the 4 Nations or get ready for the Vegas Golden Knights. Petro made the right choice
Never concerned about Adin Hill. I think he is really good goalie and give him much more credit then Ken Boehlke or Jason Pothier do who think that Vegas would have won the cup just the same if Logan Thompson or Laurent Brossoit were in net. I find that disrespectful to Hill who was outstanding in that Stanley Cup playoff run. Since January 1st Thompson has .904 save percentage and Hill has .913 save percentage. Hill is turning it up at the right time which is what a true professional does.
My only concern is the health of Jack Eichel. That’s it!!! We need to get him 100%. He will be physically targeted by the Wild and Blues.
I have a question for anyone who would want to answer it. Assuming Hill plays 85% -100% of the playoff games, is it a foregone conclusion that Samsonov (if healthy) would play instead of Schmid if needed in the playoffs?
Donald J Trump
Canada 3 USA 2 ??
in countering Trump tariffs against Canadian high taxes and bull shit tariffs the “installed” , unelected, new Canadian PM is recalling all Canadian NHL hockey players effective immediately.
Canada 3 USA 2
Donald J Trump. Did that happen? Let’s hope not. We need captain Stone for the playoffs.
Rocco
Sammy is the back up. Me thinks.
Striped shirts
isn’t it interesting that some Canadian born NHL players have Canadian based franchises on their no trade lists in their contracts? what, they don’t wanna play in the 51st state?
Canada 3 USA 2
Hey Striped shirts, love the name.
What is interesting about that? If I were a Canadian born NHL player I may prefer to play on an American based franchise anywhere but the states of New York or California because of the lower income taxes. I’m extremely pleased that Mark Stone is a Golden Knight rather then an Ottawa Senator. Being an NHL player in Canada (no matter what your birth certificate says) is like being a celebrity which is not for everyone. The anonymity of playing in Florida or Texas where you can walk around the city and in a grocery store and largely be unnoticed would be very appealing to me.
I hope you are not triggered by my screen name. If the United States win the ice hockey gold medal in the olympics I would hope that you would be proud as I was that Canada won the 4 Nations tournament.
Canada 3 USA 2
Is everything about politics here? I was asking a question about the Vegas back up goalies. Are the Donald J Trump and Striped shirts screen name guys (actually ThG – the hockey god) that triggered by my screen name that you couldn’t even understand my post. You must be soft democrats are something.
TS
Canada, the Political Porn is most definitely not from Dems..it always starts with a certain fake God here, who has an Army of Invisibles to blast, berate and belittle the rest of us, aka the ” Others”. This started in 2016, Trump 1 term. Nasty Maga Man and his Imaginary Maga Friends. MADDENING!!
.
VGK fan
Canada, nobody is soft here we just ignore the village idiot. He has been making the same comments for years.
Jose
This is kind of a nothing game tonight. Not much meaning. Couldn’t even begin to gauge what will happen tonight. Washington got smoked 7-0 by Columbus today in a meaningless game. I don’t want that to happen.
Jonathan Marchessault tribute will be nice.