(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)
It was clear that last night’s 7-4 victory in Buffalo was an emotional game not just for Jack Eichel but the entire Golden Knights locker room. Realistically, the team could have been caught looking forward to their flight home, but Vegas came out like it was the biggest game on the road trip. From the comments by the players after the game, it sure seemed like it.
He’s one of the more impressive teammates I’ve ever played with, if not the best player I’ve ever played with. It’s all about support in this locker room. Everybody supporting each other and I couldn’t be happier for the guy, he deserves it. -Mark Stone
We noted earlier this month that the long Eastern Conference road trip could help grow an already healthy team chemistry and it showed against the Sabres. Sure, OT winners in Washington and Toronto should be considered taxing victories but neither felt as important as the contest up in Northern New York. From the players to the coach, anyone in white and gold was emotionally invested in shutting up the heckling fans in Buffalo. Bench boss Bruce Cassidy made his declaration on the intense, revenge game when he spoke with ESPN in the 1st period.
The puck has found Jack a couple of times in great spots, hopefully he buries one. -Bruce Cassidy, on ESPN broadcast
Eichel’s retribution was important to him but possibly even more to his teammates. Leaving Buffalo with two points was the club’s only mission and they were well prepared for a passionate battle against the Sabres. Last night could have been the loudest confirmation of how strong the bond is in the 13-2-0 Golden Knights locker room. Unbeaten in nine straight games, five on an eleven-day road trip and finishing with a statement win in Buffalo is exactly how a tight group travels back home.
No one likes to see a teammate get booed, right? I’ll say it as simple as I can, it hurts everybody. Especially with a close-knit team, so we’re happy for him. -Cassidy
Never has a group shown more team chemistry than the Golden Knights did yesterday against the Sabres. Through 15 games, Vegas is proving to be one of the most complete teams in the NHL. Of course, an .867 points percentage will help keep a locker room happy and at ease. Rewind to last season, do you ever remember the 2021-22 having this fun or success? However, fans should expect the bond of the 2022-23 Golden Knights continue to build each time Vegas takes the ice.
Three goals and an assist in a game like that where the crowd’s on you like that, I mean, that’s one of the more impressive performances that I’ve ever seen. -Stone
Of course, money isn’t a motivational factor for most NHL players, but ESPN’s Ryan Callahan noted Eichel had “painted the board” in VGK’s locker room. Usually, when a player faces his old team, he will put ‘money on the board’ for the game-winning goal scorer. It’s possible after the way he performed, Eichel took back his own donation.
Tim
Believe me I’m no hockey genius but it was interesting I had mentioned our team is set except for a third line winger that can score. Low and behold last night the announcers on our game mentioned the same shortcoming. Like I’ve said before I only use the eye test and that is a glaring weakness.
Docdg
That is exactly why I have been wondering why Paul Cotter was in the press box for 10 games. Yesterday he came back in and had a goal and an assist. If he can do what he did in pre season the 3rd line could be as solid as the others are.
Tim
Docdg, If Paul Cotter was the answer he wouldn’t have been benched the last 8 games. They see him everyday in practice and if they felt he could handle it he wouldn’t be eating popcorn watching the game.
THE hockey GOD
Elliotte Friedman
@FriedgeHNIC
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39m
Brossoit clears. Balcers (FLA) on waivers to activate Ekblad
Sorvino
Can we have another brilliant article written by Jason Pothier in regards to Jack Eichel being a problem and not doing enough and being the 3rd or 4th best option on offense. His words.
THE hockey GOD
@sorvino
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Emmanuel
Hilarious in retrospect
hdbiker7851
Sorvino – Don’t be tooooo hard on Jason as when he wrote that article things were not as rosy for Eichel as they were last night.
Sorvino
HD Biker, I actually liked the way Eichel was playing even before this road trip. I am most impressed with how he has bought in to the team concept and taking care of defence first, McDavid,, Draisaitl, Matthews and Marner can get all the points they want but there teams don’t go anywhere in the playoffs. I don’t care if Eichel gets 80 points or 110 points. Obviously I would prefer 110 points but it’s more important if he becomes a two way forward like a Patrice Bergeron.
I think things have been “rosy” all season. They are freakin 13-2. There will always be haters and they will disguise themselves as realists but they simply don’t understand the sport. They will say things like Marchessault getting 63 points at 5 million means Eichel better get 126 points. That’s not the way it works.
In summary I expected more from Eichel last season although I gave him a pass because he was shaking off the rust and I believe was also playing with a broken finger.
I’ve been extremely happy with his play this season before and after the Jason article.
Docdg
That is exactly why I have been wondering why Paul Cotter was in the press box for 10 games. Yesterday he came back in and had a goal and an assist. If he can do what he did in pre season the 3rd line could be as solid as the others are.
hdbiker7851
I am as happy for Eichel as anyone else – glad he got the monkey off his back – turnabout is fair play. Not sure a statute in front of T- Mobile is in order at this point nor is his ROI a positive yet, but it is headed in the right direction. It was a great road trip and finished in fine fashion by a TEAM that came thru in different ways. Let’s hope they can remain healthy and avoid injury. Given the number of opportunities they have had at scoring into an empty net and came up short thus far this season a length of the ice one was a refreshing change – hopefully all noticed and realize it can be done.
THE hockey GOD
hd biker doesn’t even know what ROI for a hockey player is, just throws around meaningless terms that can not be qualified by anyone sane.
Mark
I get the booing, but Jesus, the whole game ?? The fans in Buffalo are eating crow and cooking eggs, which belong on their collective faces.
Sorvino
Mark, you would be angry too if you were the fan base of a loser franchise that hasn’t made the playoffs in 12 years. That organization is hot trash. And why does their front office think they are medical doctors with the expertise to tell Eichel what kind of surgery he should have. I guess those morons were wrong about that too.
Pistol Pete
Sorvino I agree with you above about being happy with Eichel’s play. Through the first nine games he was at or close to a point a game and his scoring picked up even more beginning game 10. But you’re right—more important than the magnitude of his points is his commitment to the team and Cassidy’s system. It’s definitely important to have that extra scoring punch given that his is potentially on a level the team has never seen. I agree too—Patrice Bergeron but with more scoring power.
THE hockey GOD
Congrats to new Governor Sheriff JOE.
time to put the elections back to where they were before goobner sissypants screwed them up. NV is laughing stock of nation, can’t process votes in timely manner. FLORIDA and OHIO which have millions of more voters than tiny NV were done in one night. JOE needs to get the FEDERAL POST OFFICE out of handling ballots (except for military overseas special case) and clean up the ballot harvesting crooks in WAHOE and CLARK COUNTY. Election Clark County Chief Joe Gloria, you need to be fired. Joe needs to do what DeSantis did to Florida and clean up this mess. NV elections were never like this before GOOBNER SISSYPANTS changed them. Get rid of mail in ballots for good. Need Voter ID, and SAME DAY ELECTIONS. Which is what the founders intended in first place. Also, this ranking system is not VOTING. I hope someone sues to throw it out.
Rant of day over.
THE hockey GOD
“It’s been nearly 48 hours since Polls closed in Arizona. 71% of 2.3 Million Votes have been counted. By comparison, Florida counted 7.7 million Votes in 5 hours. Many Countries do the same. Arizona is an embarrassment to the World. And you can thank Sec. of State katiehobbs”
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Pistol Pete
Rant of day continues apparently.
I did think this is a hockey message board vs. an affairs of the nation forum. The former only please.
knights fan in minny
plus florida just coming off a weather disaster it should be vote in person everywhere unless you absolutely cannot
THE hockey GOD
*****
^^^^^^
four out four stars
knights fan in minny
dont take the blues lightly tonight they are playing desperate
Arnold Rothstein
odds gods favor the blues tonight
team Arnold
game responsibly
Sorvino
I love that Alex Pietrangelo knocked out Josh Anderson’s teeth with a sucker punch. absolutely love it. Next time Anderson tries something like that again against the VGK he’ll get more teeth knocked out, maybe enough to make a necklace.
knights fan in minny
love it sorvino anderson acts like he was the victim he should have got pummeled