(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)
Saturday’s game in Edmonton didn’t end like the Golden Knights had planned. In reality, when superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl score in the same game, picking up a point isn’t half bad. With a win tonight in Vancouver, Vegas will have a chance to return home with three of a possible four divisional points. Not bad for a two game set against Pacific teams scratching and clawing for wins.
At least a point on the road in Edmonton is good. But VGK should have won this game in regulation. Could've used one on the PP.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) November 20, 2022
Okay, it’s not a five game, eleven day road trip to the East Coast but traveling to Western Canada can be a challenge. Rewind back to last season when the Golden Knights were chasing instead of leading the division. Edmonton and Vancouver pitched in by spoiling Vegas’ 2021-22 playoff dreams. In three crucial games in mid-April, Vegas left Western Canada with on win.
This season the tables have turned. At the moment, Vegas has a 96% chance to qualify for the playoffs, Vancouver has a bleak 21% chance. There’s no sugar-coating it, the Canucks have had a nightmare start to the season. Just picture the complete opposite of the Golden Knights first 19 games. Not only does losing suck but each Vancouver loss is followed with unpleasant questions about coach dismissals, player fire sales and underachieving personnel. From this point going forward Vancouver will have to outperform the entire division for a sniff of a playoff run.
We know who are next opponents are. You keep the shots to the outside. Most of them won’t go in.-Bruce Boudreau, Canucks coach
For the Golden Knights, it’s another opportunity to separate themselves from another club in the Pacific. So far, the Golden Knights have earned at least one point in five of six divisional matchups. If they pick up any more tonight, Vegas will have points against each Pacific team with the exception of Calgary. Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until late February for a second battle with the Flames.
THE hockey GOD
where’s Kenny ??????
Pistol Pete
Qatar. Assumed we all knew Ken is attending the World Cup. Quite the adventure.
Richie-Rich
Ahhh, World Cup. Who is going to go to the new professional LaCrosse games here in Vegas?
In any case, things are settling out some after a red hot start to the season for our VGK. Barring any significant injuries this team looks to make the playoffs. However, huge questions still remain regarding the teams toughness, especially the ability to push back when bullied on the ice.
Beyond the above obvious issues, and despite the obvious improvements made by Coach Cassidy in terms of offensive PP and defensive strategy, the VGK are still not performing at a Stanley Cup level, not even close.
It’s hard to dissect the problem. Is it a roster problem, or simply the fact that this is the 3rd head coach, juggling of lines and trying to find team chemistry and consistency?
I remain pleasantly surprised, even shocked actually that the VGK has had so much success through 19 games. We cannot complain about the results, that’s for sure!
We will know a lot more about this team as the season progresses. Sadly, being in CAP hell means that it will be highly unlikely that the VGK will be in a position to be a buyer at the trade deadline. This team lacks toughness. I simply do not want to ever see Kolesar drop the gloves ever again. It’s embarrassing.
Vancouver? Every game is a “trap” game. There’s no such thing. Who wants the 2 points more? That’s the question.
Pistol Pete
VGK is a good team. Talented roster with excellent forwards depth and a deep blue line. Above average weight and height makes for the sticks required for superior defending. Cassidy and his excellent system came into a good situation. Talent, a team and FO hungry to go all the way.
The starts of NJ and BOS are a surprise (although BOS made the playoffs last season), just wondering if it’s been so surprising the VGK with their talent started so well, why FLA and CGY did not with their’s (both counting OTL as losses are under .500). The answer probably comes down to defense. Need I remind VGK held EDM to 23 shots?
TS
So the US plays Whales today? If we win do we play Crabs next?
knights fan in minny
fake ts are you really that stupid to much malt liquor last night shit for brains
Tim
This is a kickem when there down game. From minute one to minute sixty don’t take your foot off the gas. These are the two points you never want to lose against a cupcake. But unfortunately the Knights although having a great start I still don’t think they have the killer instinct. To many excuses for my liking at times.
Pistol Pete
Tim, can you quantify this claim?
“But unfortunately the Knights although having a great start I still don’t think they have the killer instinct.”
I don’t really see that. The fundamental reason for the VGK’s success this season is defending. If defending does not take grind and grit (KILLING the opponent’s offense) I don’t know what else the “killer instinct” can be.
Tim
Pistal Pete, Can I give you a better example then our San Jose game. They are now 6-11-3 and we lose to that inferior team at home. Please don’t tell me we didn’t have our legs or some other flimsy excuse. That was 2 points we gave away and if you recall we missed the playoffs last year by 3 points so every point counts from game 1 to game 82. The way I see it our fourth line plays balls to the wall, misfit line is reliable first line with Stone playing like he used and Stephenson steady and Eichel who is OK but passes to much seems set. Then we have the third line I’m OK with Kessel but Howden, Cotter, Amadio, or whoever is playing is our weakness. Pete I’m a Knights fan but there lack of draft picks and some stupid trades have left our farm system tapped out. We overpaid for Eichel Tuch a first and second should have done it but we through in Krebs which was a mistake like Suzuki but that’s water over the dam. I’ll go back to baseball I was born in Cleveland but left a lifetime ago but still a Cleveland Guardians fan. Let me run down there organization and compare it to the Knights. 2022 Gm of the year, Manager of the year, youngest team in baseball, best minor league system, in baseball with one of the cheapest owner in baseball. There set for years to come and back to the Knights no young stars on the Knights a terrible farm system and I’m sorry Pete but yes I’m critical of many of there stupid moves. I try to look at things objectively not with rose colored glasses.
Emmanuel Docazal
Forget about scoring, they are channeling the 1990’s Devils teams…..
Tim
For sure Pete two years ago we had the Presidents banner in our grasp but we tied Colorado and there hanging the banner one more point and it was ours as I mentioned last year 3 points cost us the playoffs and home losses were our downfall. This year it seems everyones on board with winning games early but I remember when posters said oh no don’t burnout to early which I always thought was insane. I’ve been on this site since the beginning and I do remember comments of burnout by many posters past and present. Ryan Reeves like him or not put fear in the other team and now Kolasar tries but he’s not Reeves.
THE hockey GOD
yellowstone ep 2 , this season
after have a great two hour opening episode last week, yellowstone writing
falls far with typical plot ploys, retreads, going down same rabbit holes. Not good. Not impressed at all.
Meanwhile the cutting edge writing and acting on The White Lotus is leading to crescendo in remaining episodes. Tonya was diddling in middle, her assistant and soprano’s son actors / actresses characters took a big dump into dark side. Only character here with any redeeming value is Tonya and perhaps the couple (Ethan and Harper) being played by the player couple.
This series is like a reverse Columbo TV series, you are shown the dead bodies in episode ONE, but you don’t know who they are or why the are dead. So odds on gamblers, here are the main players and what not:
Tonya – unlikely as being the floating dead body in episode one, seems like a main player in series less than 5 %
Porsche (Tonya’s assistant)- she’s playing with fire, and jealously – low to middle odds of being whacked. I see her character is spelled Portia, pronounced as porche.
Portia’s English lover boy – 50/50
Albie De Grasso = son of soprano character= same comment as Porsche , same odds as porshe
the two hookers -Mia and Lucia – 45% , hookers always get screwed in TV episodes
F. Murray Abrahams – Bret De Grasso – patron of family, old guy he’s is going to his old mafia town but so far has done nothing nefarious – very low odds
soprano guy – Dominci De Grasso , his (yet to make an appearance) cheated on wife
has motive, and so far not shown up – high odds, and he played the hookers, not good.
the gay party guys = low odds have done nothing under handed so far
old piano guy – Mia gave him fake viagra, he collapsed, maybe dead already, but wasn’t dead guy floating in water. He’s playing Mia, don’t think Mia would do him in – moderate odds of dying again in water.
Greg , husband of Tonya, left in middle of 2nd honeymoon, suspected of cheating , but is he really ? I give him 50/50 of being knocked off
Ethan, wife suspects him of cheating, this needs to be resolved – incomplete
Ethan’s wife Harper, totally likeable character, same comment as Ethan. Incomplete, victims of love, so why would anyone want them dead ?
now the player couple
CAmeron and Daphne, high odds. If you watch the show you will know why.
Emmanuel Docazal
Yellowstone seasons are like sandwiches….the 1st, 2nd next to last and last episodes are great and the 5 or 6 in the middle tread water…….
THE hockey GOD
yes Emmanuel Docazal
like shit on a shingle ,
knights fan in minny
or crap on a cracker