(Photo Credit: @GoldenKnights on X/Twitter)
Saturday night, the Golden Knights did about as well as you can ask when taking on the best team in the NHL, and a team that may end up with the best record in the history of the NHL, without three key skaters and a starting goalie. They held multi-goal leads on two separate occasions, led the game with less than five minutes to go, and then had a chance in the situation Colorado is worst, a shootout.
In the end, it just wasn’t to be, and thus Vegas fall into a category with just about everyone in the league, knowing they can’t quite yet measure up with the Avalanche.
Everyone is in agreement that Colorado is the class of the league right now. How far are we behind on that? That’s a tough one to tell because of these overtime losses, if you just have a normal overtime (record), you’re probably there behind them with Dallas and Minnesota. That’s the part that’s tricky to evaluate in terms of the wins. We haven’t gotten our share for whatever reason and I think it’s really skewed what we look like. -Bruce Cassidy
The Golden Knights have now lost 11 games in overtime or shootout and hold a record of 4-11 when the game extends beyond regulation. As Cassidy said, it lends to quite a bit of confusion about where this version of the Golden Knights actually stand in comparison to the league.
They’re 5th in the league in points percentage while 21st in wins. The 45 points have them in 7th overall and atop the Pacific Division, but they are outside of the top 10 in both goals scored and goals allowed.
So, why aren’t they good in overtime? The head coach weighed in yesterday.
To be quite honest, if you look at the big picture, I don’t think we’ve played very smart in overtime in terms of puck management, knowing when to attack and when not to. That’s why we’ve scored less in overtime because we have the puck a lot less and then we aren’t making good decisions with it, or picking the right time to attack. -Cassidy
As for shootout, he’s a bit more laissez-faire. Cassidy said in a skills competition, he doesn’t feel comfortable overloading the shooters with added information. He believes in the scoring talent on the roster so it’s better to stay out of their heads and let the talent take over. Admittedly, to this point, it has not been successful as the Golden Knights are 1-4 in shootout this year.
Oddly enough, extending games beyond regulation is one of the biggest reasons why the Golden Knights sit comfortably inside the playoff picture and have for most of the year. Yet, avoiding it is probably the best solution to making the team look more like the record says.
Lori Thomsen
We really need Adin Hill back. He’s the best!
NAM
I am going to have to respectfully disagree with you.
hdbiker7851
Lori – you must be Hill’s PR person as nothing could be further from the truth.
Emmanuel
Hills a tweener, a very very very good back up but his career minutes played doesnt refelct the workload of a starter.
Larry
What Cassidy is saying rather diplomatically about ‘puck management’ and ‘ poor decision’ issues are the items I have harped on here before.
Whatever combination of players that out there do not seem to grasp the importance of maintaining puck possession, to rag the puck and allow fresh offensive players to cycle in while keeping the same defenders out there for an extended period.
Overall it is a lack of team speed, as well as the creativity to create Grade A chances that have hurt the Golden Knights in the overtime sessions, off the top of my head, I can’t think of a single instance where our goalie was at fault for letting in a game winner, rather they have been terrific as they are often under siege due to the opponent having control of the puck for long stretches of time.
Emmanuel
A bit off tangent but one of the things that irritates me about the 3-3 OT is all the puck ragging to kill time.
steve
the other problem is Eichels speed tends to be negated in overtime as there is always a forward shadowing him deep in the defensive zone and cant really build up a head of steam because teams are generally not concerned with who else is on the ice, except probably for Marner i guess, it is a definite regular season problem that disappears in the playoffs, but then 5×5 is not the greatest at this point either.
Scott
Cassidy really should have occasional “optional” shootout sessions before or after practice. Nothing too formal, but just let the guys figure it out!
At least Jack is back on the ice today! Should be back for the Predators game! https://x.com/GoldenKnights/status/2005715565802054028?s=20
Pistol Pete
Avs have the 27th ranked PP though the top ranked PK. They too have struggled this season to close out games in OT so go figure. Think we are over analyzing our OT struggles. First of all some these same players came through in OT in previous seasons it’s not like Eichel is not as fast as before. Second there were numerous posts and crossbars so there is a puck luck crap shoot aspect to it. Several of these could have gone the other way.
Scott
Being from Vegas, I guess the Golden Knights can expect a Crap Shoot from time to time!
Pistol Pete
Cassidy I’m pretty sure has been nurturing Holtz in the hope and belief he has the talent to be a top six forward. Gave him a lot to think about benching him 26 games. Looks like the player has stuck with it worked hard in the practices. The coach responded and put him back in the lineup. I never really gave up on the guy hoping he could stay the course. In the Avs game he was pretty good. You can see the details in all three zones improving. Looking forward to him putting in another good performance against the Wild. This roster could really use another young forward.
Pistol Pete
Meant to mention caught the tail end of today’s voluntary skate. By the time I got there Holtz was still on the ice one of the last. Pretty obvious he wants this to happen make the roster of one of the best teams in the league great locker room great place to live. What a better chance than to play wing for Tomas Hertl? This might just work!
Emmanuel
Loved Holtz in Jersey, would like to see him get his 400 games, hoping he doesnt “Nail Yakupov”.
ID10T w/ BA1100N
If the VGK don’t stop the sloppy puck management, over passing, and weak D its gonna be a long summer for them. Pass….pass…..pa…turned over and voila in the back of the VGK goal.