(Photo Credit: Ken Boehlke, SinBin.vegas)
Since Game 1, the Golden Knights and Oilers series hadn’t seen a game within three goals in the final 10 minutes. So, while much has been learned about the matchup between the two teams, close defensive hockey was still a question mark.
That was until last night.
Following the kill of a major penalty that brought the score from 4-2 to 4-3, the Golden Knights put on a clinic in how to defend the most potent offense in the NHL this season.
I thought it was our best all around defensive game. Our team has responded well to situational hockey in the playoffs when we’ve had the lead. We understand the value of easy chances against so we’re making the other team work. We did a really good job of that last night and I think we are good 5-on-5 with the lead. -Bruce Cassidy
Vegas became an entry denial machine that stifled the Oilers for the entire 3rd period, not allowing them to erase the one goal deficit. Edmonton generated a measly four shots on goal in nearly 10 minutes of 5-on-5 hockey. And, the Oilers mustered up just 0.21 expected goals in the 3rd period with all ten skaters on the ice, less than half of what they accumulated in each of the first two periods.
Good gaps, check with our feet, staying tight and defending as five as we have all year. I thought we executed plays really well and we won those battles and got the clears when we needed to and got a couple big stops which you need. There’s a lot to build off of there and I thought we executed well. -Nic Hague
It was all highlighted by one shift though, a shift that wasn’t even played in the defensive end of the ice.
O-Zone puck possession. That was a big shift with their top guys out using energy to get the puck back and not being in our end. It was predominantly Reilly Smith who had the puck a lot. That contributes a lot (to our overall defensive game in the 3rd period). And it gets your bench excited and it gets your D a breather and your goalie a breather to reset and we were able to do that. -Cassidy
The shift began with 3:30 left in the 3rd period when Nic Roy sent a simple little dump-in to the corner and he forechecked alone. He held off Brett Kulak to get the puck back and then the Golden Knights held it in the offensive zone for the next 80 seconds. It’s absolutely brilliant. Watch.
Smith, who Cassidy highlighted, was the star of the shift, consistently hanging onto the puck and killing time off the clock. For a player who has had a tough time scoring in these playoffs, he was able to make a massive impact without even attempting a shot on goal.
Stone also played a large part, holding the puck and also grabbing a takeaway as the Oilers finally had a chance to exit.
All of it adds up to winning hockey. It relieved pressure on the defense and goalie, it kept McDavid and Draisaitl off the ice for a long stretch of the most crucial part of the game, and it denied Edmonton an opportunity to get their goalie out of the net while trailing by a goal.
There’s a lot the Oilers do well, playing like the Golden Knights did in the 3rd period eliminates all of it.
For Vegas, it’s simple in Game 6. Get the lead and do it again.
Mark
I think our team defense is outstanding. The guys really work as one. I love Petro’s slash, he just had enough, how much can a guy take. I despised Kolesar’s major penalty, but then again, we responded. We got a shot at this whole thing !!
GWNorth
“Love” a two handed attempt to injure a player and “despise” a five minute major for a dangerous hit that injured a player? Interesting. And, the Oilers are the dirty team? Vegas, with their $96 million playoff payroll ($14 million over the cap) should have taken the Oilers out in four games. What’s wrong with them. They took the Tampa Bay screwing with the salary cap to a new level. Stone miraculous recovery the first game of the playoffs was a miracle . He must be in pain though. How else could you explain the whiny face he wear’s constantly.
Karl
GW North
First of all you miserable asshole scumbag cocksucking fucking piece of fucking shit. First of all, you are a fucking loser who is trying to make yourself feel better about your oilers. Before the series you were saying that the Oilers would crush Vegas and now that that isn’t happening, you were saying that we should be ashamed that we didn’t beat the Oilers 4 straight.
Your confidence in your team is obviously diminishing by the day. We actually respect the oilers, and if we beat them in six or seven games, we are honored. The series is far from over and Edmonton could still come out on top. However, you are a insecure asshole who can’t believe that the Oilers are down in this series and also can’t believe that Vegas had the audacity to even bother flying into Edmonton to play on the same ice surface as your beloved Oilers.
Read closely as I am not shitting on or disrespecting the Oilers. I’m actually laughing at you you loser.
THE hockey GOD
Kark with a K,
stop being nice to oilers fan on this site, or else they won’t come back.
Rashaad
That is funny
GWNorth
“Love” a two handed attempt to injure a player and “despise” a five minute major for a dangerous hit that injured a player? Interesting. And, the Oilers are the dirty team? Vegas, with their $96 million playoff payroll ($14 million over the cap) should have taken the Oilers out in four games. What’s wrong with them. They took the Tampa Bay screwing with the salary cap to a new level. Stones miraculous recovery the first game of the playoffs was a miracle .
Ice Warrior
Kiss my ass, GWN. You give your fan base the shitty reputation it deserves.
Jailbird
Yes we do, once we get by Edmonton. They are offensively scary. Just a sick feeling in the stomach when they go on the power play. That’s what makes that PK n the 5 minute all the more amazing!
THE hockey GOD
we live in a time
where intelligent people are being
silenced
so that stupid people are not offended
Jake
The “spirit” of Evander Kane has been “injected” into the entire Oilers team, coaches included.
TS
Jake” inject” is more like ” INFECT”! Kane is like a PLAGUE!! “
GWNorth
Really? Which team got to be Brent to injure penalties?
GWNorth
Should have read…which team got two intent to injure penalties….
Gw
Gwnorth, the question should be, WHY did the Oilers GET AWAY WITH repeated ” Intent to injure” infractions???? Curious. Kane, pounding on Kolesar’s KIDNEY, BLATANT ” intent to injure”…undetected by Refs…
Hmmmm..
Petro, being slammed into the boards, head first, WASN’T ” intent to injure” either, I suppose…
JUST because the Refs had their heads up their asses, DOESN’T mean the Oiler dirty business DIDN’T HAPPEN. We saw what happened. The videos don’t lie.
GWNorth
Should have read…which team got two intent to injure penalties…. Auto correct got me again!
Vic
Watched the Kraken/Stars highlights and the ESPN announcer was an annoying screamer. Also, as if there isn’t enough distraction when watching…..ads on the boards, ads on the helmets, stencils all over the ice and so on…….The Kraken/Stars game featured ESPN adding captioned name tags whenever a player touched the puck. So we had a screaming announcer calling out the names, there is close captioning for those who need it, but now we see captions like the game is a cartoon. Maybe they’ll bring back Peter Puck and/or maybe they’ll add the laser light to the puck so imbeciles can follow along. The deterioration of our favorite game is sickening. Hard to watch a full game anymore. Go VGK.
THE hockey GOD
@Vic
ESPN is a woke broke terrible network, insulting whitecloud was the last straw. And someone said, ‘well he apologized”, that’s bull shit. When you kill or abuse someone, well if they apologize, then let them off the hook. Yeah right. Even though tSN roots for the oilers, they are much more professional outlet to watch. Very engaging for a Canadian sports network.
larry
a little peak into the future…vgk opens the scoring …yes!! vgk opens the scoring 3 minutes in…and then adds another one at the 7 minute mark quieting the once raucous crowd…closing minute of the period referee…small r for sure!!! furlatt calls a ticky tack hold on Marchy…and the oilers capitalize 30 seconds into the second…and feed off that energy for the next 3 minutes with Hill being a rock…at the 9 minute mark Eichel draws yet another penalty and Smith cashes in finally from just inside the dot….5 minutes later kane slashes karlsson in the corner and back on the PP we go…Stone deflects it home and vgk is up 4-1 after 2…oilers come out flting to start the third…but vgk is content with dumping the puck to center ice…rolling 4 lines in 30-40 second shifts….the oilers never get another pp chance even with furlatt as ‘their’ referee…on to face the kraken after their double overime win on Monday….GO KNIGHTS GO!!!
GWNorth
Sorry Larry, not going to happen! Ask LA how a 3-2 lead over the Oilers went for them in last year’s playoffs.
Satan
GW North, can you please expand on the comments you made about two weeks ago that Vegas had the most preferential treatment at the expansion draft, even though the Edmonton Oilers in their expansion were gifted Wayne Gretzky, as Gretzky did not even enter the draft. The Colorado Rockies were clearly the worst team in the league in regards to points, and they should have had a chance to get Wayne Gretzky. Can you please expand on that?
GWNorth
The Oilers were not “gifted” Wayne Gretzky. The NHL raped the WHA teams when they came into the league. The Expansion teams were only allowed to protect two skaters and two goaltenders from their existing WHA rosters and NHL teams got to claim any of the other players they wanted. Gretzky had signed a long term contact with the Oilers and no NHL team had his rights, so he was exempt from the pillaging . The Oilers, and other expansion teams, drafted last in every round of the 1979 Amateur Draft. The Oilers had to build a team from scratch around Gretzky. Many of their star players were picked up in later rounds of drafts over the first three years (Messier, Anderson, Kurri, Fuhr, Lowe). Did I mention that despite this the Oilers won their first Stanley Cup in their 5th year? So Satan, nobody can argue that Vegas didn’t have the most preferred expansion deal in NHL history. Not to mention the largest playoff payroll in NHL history at $96 million, thanks to Stones miraculous recovery for the playoffs (where salaries don’t count against the cap). If Vegas doesn’t win with a $96M cap this year they never will.
Rashaad
GW North, shithead, you clearly said yourself, that Stone is wincing in pain, which means that he was legitimately hurt. He’s had two back surgeries.
Jailbird
Why is it then that every NHL expert picked the Knights to finish dead last that first year? We got players nobody wanted. Quit making excuses, GW, why your arrogant oilers are going to lose!
Howard
I’m sorry, but after Vegas made its picks, and 2 weeks before 2017- 18 season, every so called hockey analyst said Vegas would be “historically bad.” I’m curious then how VGK was “gifted” then? Why u here exactly anyways? 30 years of no Canadian team winning Cup? Me thinks so..
Karl
Karl, do you have anything else to add other than oilers are good, Vegas is no good, and Oilers will win the series.
Karl
GW North , do you have anything else to add other than oilers are good, Vegas is no good, and Oilers will win the series.
GWNorth
Never said Vegas was not a good team. With a $96 M playoff payroll, they should be. They make Tampa Bay look like choirboys.
Howard
VGK current cap is not $96M.. it’s around $84M. Only counting dressed players.. You got a math problem? I’d say after 30 years of no Cups for Canada, that you’re more frustrated than a limp-noodled rooster in a hen house.
Satan
This is Satan.
Santa is completely on board with what Larry is selling.
Satan has spoken.
Jailbird
Nice vision Larry! I will be rooting big time you are correct. But, I’m afraid this back and forth series may continue and destined to be 7 games. I hope not but that’s what I see. But IF the Knights do win tonight, I’ll officially say: They will win the cup! Let’s see if that can happen. Play hard and smart boys!
Rashaad
GW North, are you Canadian? I hope not. Because I am and you are not representing Canadians very well with your extremely low IQ comments. Series is far from over, but the Oilers are legitimately down 3-2. The VGK did not get preferential expansion rules, we weren’t gifted Wayne Gretzky like the oilers and we don’t have favourable salary cap rules. The entire league operates under the same rules, and some GM’s are able to manipulate it and work it better than others.
Tim
If we win tonight and the Kraken beat Dallas an all expansion West final to piss off hockey loyalist where they believe 20 years of pain are needed before success.
Rashaad
That would be sweet Tim.
Just to prove that I am not biased I do believe that Alex Pietrangelo should have at least been suspended for two games. I love him and he’s an amazing player but he’s a great player that made a bad mistake and largely has gotten away with it because ultimately it just became a day off with rest as Vegas won game five anyways.
THE hockey GOD
@ rashaad , he hit him padded area, plus he came off one arm when he hit him, so it wasn’t a full two busters, and it looked worse than it was; plus his past history warrants a one day. Not two or more.
B-Rad-Lee
Not to mention Leon dropped like a soccer play who got his ear flicked. I’m a soccer referee and we caution players for embellishment.
THE hockey GOD
rip Gordon
I think you had somebody waiting outside in the rain to take you away
You got places to go, you got people to see, still I’m gonna miss you
But anyway
I wish you good spaces in the far away places you go
If it rains or it snows may you be safe and warm and never grow old
And if you need somebody some time
You know I will always be there
I’ll do it although I’m not supposed to care
[Verse 2]
I’ll give you the keys to my flying machine if you’d like
I will show you the light and when you call
I’m gonna come to you
And when you find someone who loves you
I’ll know you would treat me the same
Just lie there, you’re not supposed to care
[Verse 3]
I think you had somebody waiting outside in the rain to take you away
That’s some kind of a game, still I’m glad it came down to the final round
But anyway
If you think you need someone who needs you
You know I will always be there
I’ll do it although I’m not supposed to care
I’ll do it although I’m not supposed to car
THE hockey GOD
e
THE hockey GOD
vegas hockey NOW !!
The Vegas Golden Knights won Game 5 despite playing without defenseman Alex Pietrangelo who delivered a two-handed chop to Edmonton Oilers star forward Leon Draisaitl near the end of Game 4. Pietrangelo served his one-game suspension after a hearing with NHL Player Safety Thursday.
Pietrangelo didn’t necessarily strike a remorseful tone and instead indicated his slash was retaliation for what the Golden Knights perceive as premeditated hits, legal and otherwise.
“It’s pretty obvious what’s going on, but at the end of the day, we’ve got a job to do,” Pietrangelo said. “They’ve got a job to do, and we’ve got to close it out tomorrow.”
The Golden Knights can win the series by winning Game 6 at Rogers Place. They lead the series 3-2.
According to Natural StatTrick, Pietrangelo has already taken 39 hits in the NHL Stanley Cup playoff run.
“It’s pretty obvious what’s going on. I mean, it’s premeditated stuff, I’m pretty sure, coming at me,” Pietrangelo said. “But (NHL Player Safety) didn’t really seem to care in the meeting. But I’ll get up and take it. I’m not going to lay on the ice like what’s going on, (what) we’ve been seeing. So I’ll get up and play the game the way it needs to be played.”
Evander Kane avoided supplemental discipline in Game 3 when he charged from center ice to cross-check Pietrangelo at the end of the first period. Kane was penalized on the ice, but no further.
The Vegas Golden Knights won Game 5 despite playing without defenseman Alex Pietrangelo who delivered a two-handed chop to Edmonton Oilers star forward Leon Draisaitl near the end of Game 4. Pietrangelo served his one-game suspension after a hearing with NHL Player Safety Thursday.
Pietrangelo didn’t necessarily strike a remorseful tone and instead indicated his slash was retaliation for what the Golden Knights perceive as premeditated hits, legal and otherwise.
“It’s pretty obvious what’s going on, but at the end of the day, we’ve got a job to do,” Pietrangelo said. “They’ve got a job to do, and we’ve got to close it out tomorrow.”
The Golden Knights can win the series by winning Game 6 at Rogers Place. They lead the series 3-2.
“It’s pretty obvious what’s going on. I mean, it’s premeditated stuff, I’m pretty sure, coming at me,” Pietrangelo said. “But (NHL Player Safety) didn’t really seem to care in the meeting. But I’ll get up and take it. I’m not going to lay on the ice like what’s going on, (what) we’ve been seeing. So I’ll get up and play the game the way it needs to be played.”
Evander Kane avoided supplemental discipline in Game 3 when he charged from center ice to cross-check Pietrangelo at the end of the first period. Kane was penalized on the ice, but no further.
Pietrangelo could also be referring to the numerous cross-checks the Oilers have delivered on Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone, who missed several months due to a back injury. Stone left the lineup in mid-January but didn’t return until the playoffs.
There have been a few obvious targeted cross-checks, including Game 4 when Edmonton scored after Kailer Yamamoto flattened Stone with a hard cross-check from behind. Stone was slow to get up, and Edmonton used the numbers advantage on the rush for a goal.
The puck drops for Game 6 at 7 p.m. PT Sunday.
knights fan in minny
thg explain to me why this game is a late start for a lot of us its sunday no other games today and the nhl makes a late start 2 hours earlier would make sense
Hdbiker7851
Tv programing – it’s all about money like everything else
THE hockey GOD
@Kfim
VGK play better when time slots are assimilated with their Circadian cycles.
It’s tough on players when they go back and forth, on travel. It’s like jet lag.
So we’ll see which team has more energy.
The NHL schedulers set the times, I really don’t know what factors into their scheduling.
Maybe Shiana Twain had ICE DISTRICT concert. Or maybe the NHL wanted to give the Oilers more time to re group. Like they did with that extra day in GAME TWO. Which was total bull shit.
I bet your bottom dollar the Oilers come out flying in first five minutes.
THE hockey GOD
Reilly is a leader, that is why he always wears the A on his sweater
larry
On the further positive side….besides vgk advancing to the WCF…there will be no more of all those orange shirted oiler fans gathered together outside to celebrate their team…they will be disbursed summarily much like all those maple leaf fans were the other night…and who wont love the fortress without them being here for a game 7!!!
Karl
It will be nice if they knock out the Oilers but I have to say that I actually respect that team. Beyond their two superstar forwards, they have a half decent supporting cast, and they are tough. There is zero comparison between The Oilers and Maple Leafs. The Leafs are garbage.
THE hockey GOD
@K
hence why they are known as the Loser Leafs.
Jailbird
First 10 minutes will probably decide this game tonight. If we are still solidly in it, after that,we will win it!
Davis
Reading these posts since the start but 1st time posting.
JB, I totally agree, if we are down 2 zip after 10 minutes I’m off live and just checking the score every 15 minutes or so. My wife and daughters can’t handle the swearing.
GO KNIGHTS!!!!!!@
Davis
GO!!!!
Rob S.
Can somebody explain to me how Kolesuck is going to be in the lineup tonight? For crying out loud, put Roy back on the fourth line and play Amadio (or Dorofeyev or Kotter or even Phil Kessel)–somebody with skill (and somebody who can keep up Smith and Karlsson) on the second line. Except for the fact that he’s cheap, Kolesar brings next to nothing to the ice–and he could have cost us the series with that stupid major penalty in the last game! (And don’t even talk to me about his perceived “toughness.” He’s been sold to us as Baby Reaves with more offensive skill. Neither part of that statement is true.)
For a coach who has made no bones about using playing time as a reward–or a punishment–for his players, in what universe does Kolesar rate a spot in the lineup in a crucial playoff game?
THE hockey GOD
well if he sat him, I suppose the woke broke crowd and BLMers would
have a crying shit fit
THE hockey GOD
There is no such thing as a “kid friendly” drag show.
There is no such thing as transgender child.
Women’s sports are for women, not men.
Schools should educate, not indoctrinate.
It’s really that simple.
Tim
Big game if were up and in charge look for dirty hits they’d have nothing to lose which could hurt us in the next round if an injury occurs. On the other hand if were down we’ll just play the game because we still have game 7 no need taking stupid penalties you hear that Kolesar. I only mention this because they’ve targeted Stone and Petro and if that happens maybe not this year but next I’d put all my energy into serious fucking up McDavid and the Kraut, Let them know homey don’t play that shit.
Jailbird
SWEEEEEEEEET !!!!!