Last night the Golden Knights lost a gut-wrenching 3-2 overtime final to the New Jersey Devils. However, there’s an argument to be made that the game was lost with 10:26 in the 3rd period. Up to that point, the Golden Knights were leading 2-1 and controlled the game with strong 5-on-5 play. With ten minutes to go, New Jersey’s Brendan Smith spoiled the flow by hooking Jack Eichel and sending Vegas to the power play.
Five-on-five we did a lot of what we asked. What let us down today was probably our power play. We didn’t generate nearly enough in terms of extending the lead. We have to find a way to generate more. That’s where I thought we could have grabbed another goal for comfort. -Bruce Cassidy
Had the Golden Knights scored on their lone 3rd period power play the outcome likely would’ve changed. Cassidy’s team failed to extend their lead and barely challenged goaltender Vitek Vanecek. Instead of closing the door on New Jersey, Vegas mustered two low-percentage shots during a crucial 3rd period power play. Not only did the score remain the same but VGK’s listless PP gave life back to a dangerous Devils offense.
New Jersey coach Lindy Ruff had a sense his team would get another chance after Vegas’ ill-fated man advantage.
You have to stay around in games. You look for that opportunity. You know you are going to get two or three opportunities. If you stay with the program, you’re looking for the opportunities. In a 2-1 game we got rewarded by a 6-on-5 goal and then we finally got our power play opportunity in overtime. -Lindy Ruff, NJD coach
All combined, Vegas recorded three shots on net in four power play minutes. To make it worse, none of those attempts came from power play specialists Jack Eichel, Phil Kessel, Alex Pietrangelo, or Chandler Stephenson. Vegas generated just six total shot attempts in their six minutes of power play time and mustered up just 0.63 expected goals.
We gave up some big chances on some careless puck play. We could’ve developed more speed. We weren’t crisp with some of our passing and some of our rush execution. We turned some pucks over in our zone that we’ve been good with. Those were plays were Vitek had to make some huge saves for us. -Ruff, NJD coach
An additional moment Cassidy left out was the poorly timed tripping penalty committed by Ben Hutton in the overtime. Unfortunately, those are the risks a team faces when forced to shift a depth defenseman in a 3-on-3 situation. Don’t get me wrong, Hutton’s 2nd period dart earned him more ice time. However, he was overmatched in overtime.
Last shot was PK coverage. We thought we had a loose puck situation so we left the good ice and it squirts out. -Cassidy
Overall, the Golden Knights missed out on a golden opportunity but the team can take some positives away from their OT loss. Vegas overcame a 2nd period deficit, earned a point against a quality opponent, and thankfully gifted a point to an out-of-conference team. At this stage in the season every point exchange matters.
DeezNutz
It cost them 2 conference finals also. At what point do we just admit that this roster does not work? We need younger and healthy players who can make good passes and hit the back of the net with pucks. I’m tired of watching this team go into 15 game goal droughts at the worst possible times. I’m officially on team sell now but like Ken said fire the GM first! It’s game over for these overpaid bums.
Former season ticket holder
I agree a turd is a turd no matter how you try to shine it up ,paint it over ,whatever we just can’t scor with this group
Vic
Same problem for many seasons. It seems our guys are not as skilled on the PP as 80% of the other teams. Need clean face off wins, zone entry, sharp and fast passing, and guys moving to open spaces. Someone in front, and sometimes behind the net. Other teams seem to excel at staying in zone and also passing cross ice at the blue line. When one of our guys gets set up for a one-timer, he either fans, falls, or his stick blows up. As soon as NJ took that 3rd period penalty, I thought it was a bad sign. As I’ve said a few times, can’t we decline a penalty like the NFL. That’s what it feels like, especially when a team can’t remember how to win, and missing key pieces.
Hdbiker7851
It seems vgks have no clue how important and game changing an effective PP opportunity is. We have seen crip fast passing and a fast shot with someone within net presence and scoring however doing it once in a while won’t cut it. Eichel circling around wasting PP time is useless. He’s not a McDavid and never will come close to him. It was a shame they lost – one point being better than zero but the door is closing and based on the games remaining they needto be better than 60% to make the playoffs.
THE hockey GOD
“circling around wasting PP time is useless.” is not a useless tactic, especially if the PK team bench is on the other side of the red line. It forces the PK team to use valuable energy, with the hope that players tire, get out of position, and provide the PP personnel with a high opportunity scoring chance.
Learn the game, and what is really happening on the ice.
Most unsophisticated posters in NHL, Ian said that not me.
Hdbiker7851
Thg – If you knew anything about hockey ( doubtful) you forgot it after graduating from pee wee which you have mentioned you played (also doubtful). If your not taking shots at the met and having someone there to bang in the rebound if there is one your not going to score it’s really just that simple. We are discussing vegas waste of time it doesn’t apply to all teams who have an elite player or two which as been proven in Eichel ‘s case we do not.
THE hockey GOD
HD biker
you have no clue how a PP works in today’s game. Stop living in 1962.
THE hockey GOD
now here’s an oreo cookie
enjoy
Hdbiker7851
Apparently you are the only one who doesn’t understand PP. check what coaches preach if you really are interested rather than just post the garbage you do. KMA
THE hockey GOD
i posted what “good” hockey coaches “preach” in 2022-3
stop living in the past.
now eat your cookie.
Frank
This was a very solid road game. A couple of unlucky bounces on both regulation goals by the Devils and an untimely penalty in OT is what cost us. If we play like that consistently we should win more than we lose. Once healthy, this team will be again firing on all cylinders.
THE hockey GOD
@ Frank
I agree 110%
stay the course.
Smartest poster on this forum in years.
THG Sux
Yeah, you included. I haven’t seen a decent post from you at all, just shit talking about all the other posters here.
THE hockey GOD
says Alex you never posts anything but trash. Go stalk someone else you sick creepy psycho loser.
THE hockey GOD
to blame the PP for this loss tells you that people ignored how the game was really lost:
– no. 3 was on ice for all three goals. On first goal he left his partner , no 6 a rookie, out to dry. On next goal he deflected a shot into his own net. And on the last goal he was completely out of position trying to check an elite player into the boards on PK in OT.
– LT should probably have stopped two of the three goals
– Cassidy’s match ups were pretty poor
– not putting no 23 on PP is a mistake.
so it’s not the special teams costing the team a point in this game, it’s poor decisions by no. 3, and the coaching staff.
Last year the losers here were all over RL and PDB. This year they are all over no. 9 and FO.
Most unsophisticated loser , whiner posters in the NHL.
THE hockey GOD
you tube this
watch?v=zI3UfxyIdgs
THE hockey GOD
“Last shot was PK coverage. We thought we had a loose puck situation so we left the good ice and it squirts out. -Cassidy”
so much for the loser trash creepy stalkers here who say good ice , or bad ice, doesn’t exist.
TS
Wait— we have a Power Play??
THE hockey GOD
TS ha ha
you get it,
the VGK are bad at drawing penalties
or
the REFS suck big time
Tim
Who can question getting a PP improves your chances of winning and who can deny for years it’s been our Achilles heal. After last game the way the broadcasters lambasted the Knights for absolutely the worse PP they’ve ever seen Cassidy has to have a hard time facing the team because it all starts with the coach.
Hdbiker7851
Tim – please explain to Thg how important PP is as he is just thick headed and wants to argue about everything and frankly has no clue. Just a babbling out goat unfortunately. If he ever knew anything about hockey it is long forgotten. Repeating how they lost means nothing. They had three chances to put the game away and their inept play produced zero. Good luck trying if you even bother.
THE hockey GOD
Tim couldn’t explain to his wife how to empty his depends.
I guess biker dude missed this post, so here it is again.
“to blame the PP for this loss tells you that people ignored how the game was really lost:
– no. 3 was on ice for all three goals. On first goal he left his partner , no 6 a rookie, out to dry. On next goal he deflected a shot into his own net. And on the last goal he was completely out of position trying to check an elite player into the boards on PK in OT.
– LT should probably have stopped two of the three goals
– Cassidy’s match ups were pretty poor
– not putting no 23 on PP is a mistake.
so it’s not the special teams costing the team a point in this game, it’s poor decisions by no. 3, and the coaching staff.
Last year the losers here were all over RL and PDB. This year they are all over no. 9 and FO.”
loser posters from peanut gallery, need to put a bag over their heads like the unknown comic, because that is how they view games.
Tim
Hbiker, THG is a interesting poster at times he’s rational with good posts and at times he’s just off the charts. One clue is the amount of times he posts on any given subject tells me he’s looking for recognition or just trying to pull someones chain. I found the best way to deal with him is to ignore him. All this bull-shit I’ll give you a cookie, most unsophisticated fans, bad ice nonsense tells you he’s up and down. Some people just have to be obstinate to feel good. I suggest everyone ignore him that’s the one thing he can’t stand not having a confirmation with someone.
THE hockey GOD
says the guy who posts more than just about anyone else, mostly clueless posts, than R R
who is the worst.
THE hockey GOD
@ to loser poster above , on bad ice
“Last shot was PK coverage. We thought we had a loose puck situation so we left the good ice and it squirts out. -Cassidy”
so much for the loser trash creepy stalkers here who say good ice , or bad ice, doesn’t exist
to loser poster above on unsophisticated fan base
Complain to Ian, not me, he posted it. And he was right about that matter.
Bunch of loser whiners here, if it’s not one thing it’s another. Completely brain dead, useless, trash comments.