Recap: It didn’t take long for Vegas to get going in Arizona on Thursday night. 19 seconds into the contest, team leader in goals Jonathan Marchessault recorded his 26th of the season. Less than a minute, later the Golden Knights doubled their lead after a successful wrist shot from Nic Hague. Arizona cut the lead in half to 2-1 a few shifts later. Chandler Stephenson regained VGK’s two-goal advantage at the 6:17 mark of the opening period.
Leading 3-1, the Golden Knights kept the Coyotes from getting any closer in the middle frame. William Karlsson committed a hooking penalty in the period, but Vegas held Arizona to no shots on the power play.
Arizona came within one early in the final frame, but Vegas fought off several quality rushes by the home team. Adin Hill made two big saves in the period to preserve the Golden Knights’ 3-2 victory.
The Golden Knights record improves to 31-15-6 defeating the Coyotes in Tempe. Vegas will travel back to Las Vegas for a two-game homestand beginning on Monday. Puck drop against the Minnesota Wild is scheduled for 7 PM. (Recap by Jason)
Analysis: VGK came out flying scoring three goals in the first six minutes and capitalizing on every chance they got. From there though, it was a bit of a defensive nightmare and the Coyotes worked their way back into the goal. At the end of the day though, Adin Hill stood tall and the defense did just enough. (Analysis by Ken)
Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs. Arizona Coyotes at Mullet Arena.
- VGK broke the Cup, oops.
Ken’s Three VGK Stars
*** Chandler Stephenson
** William Karlsson
* Adin Hill
After the first 6 minutes, the Golden Knights were not very good. But, those first 6 minutes were so good they were enough.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) February 9, 2024
Adin Hill has been really good tonight, but if the Coyotes could hit the net they'd probably be winning. 27 missed shots.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) February 9, 2024
Barbashev, Roy, Marchessault line continues to be awesome.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) February 9, 2024
Are there goalies in this game? This is great!
3-1 VGK
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) February 9, 2024
Richie-Rich
Game 52 Analysis VGK 3, ARI 2
This game looked to be a blowout, but in typical VGK fashion the offense dried up. Chandler Stephenson gets the GWG. I did not expect to see Hill in net, but maybe that was a good thing as he once again played stellar hockey. I was really happy to see a Fleury-like poke check on the Kerfoot chance!
My 3 stars:
#3 Star: #81 Marchy
#2 Star: #20 Stephenson
#1 Star: #33 Aidin Hill
Next up, Game 53 vs the Wild on Monday. They are in 7th place in the Central with 49 points an a -16 goal differential.
The VGK pick up 2 points and close the gap with Vancouver to 5 points 73-68. The Canucks got shutout by Boston this evening 4-0, Edmonton & LA were idle.
I actually didn’t get to tune in until midway through the 3rd period. I was actually surprised to see Arizona within 1 goal of tying it up.
Chalk up another 2 points!
hdbiker7851
RR – they won which is a good thing – that said they were outplayed the majority of the evening after the first six minutes. In many regards they were lucky to pick up two points. Coyotes were twice the skaters Vegas was except for Stephenson and Karlsson. After initial 6 minutes or so way too many spectators out there. I beginning to think that Vegas defense was color blind in their passing activity. It will be interesting Monday against Minnesota, A third win in a row would be nice.
Pistol Pete
Maybe the best thing about that one was picking up two points on the Canucks.
JB
Survived a trap game. Two points! Hilly stands tall.
Pistol Pete
#1000 for Petro Monday. So solid. Need him down the stretch. No Cup w/o him imo. Thank you Kelly McCrimmon.
ThG
that was a good goal , refs screwed karlson.
he didn’t bat it in with this glove
sez
me
Jim
the ref flat out lied, he said he knocked it in with his glove, but the replay clearly showed that he knocked the puck down with his arm, and tried to direct it to his stick, and unfortunately he did not make contact with the puck with his stick. instead it dribbled off the feet of the goalie and into the net.
ThG
ThG
not happy at all with decision to sit whitey
and putting the Russian in, instead
ThG
Jim
Talk about “puck management”. the Vgk top d pair, 7 and 23, were having trouble most of the night in giving the puck away with bad passes. However, some of the blame goes to forwards who do not get themselves open for a pass, instead standing still and making it easy for the opponents to clog the passing lanes.
The team spends too much time in their own zone, too much time with the opponents in possession of the puck, and that is not a winning formula in most circumstances. HOWEVER, the
Butch Cassidy system is not most circumstances….. somehow they are able to overcome that problem with rope a dope defense, clog the net front and block shots or force them to shoot wide, AND most importantly the goaltending of Adin Hill is key to the whole thing. He is clearly #1, and LT is good, but not as dominant as Hill.
Pistol Pete
It will help to have Eichel back. Maybe you think Theo is also prone to giving the puck away with bad passes as you claim Petro and Marty are, though not every game I assume you mean. It’s hard to win a Cup like they did last year being as deficient as you claim they were in this game. I guess try yourself to be consistent in puck management every game and see if you could if you were NHL player. Easier said than done obviously. Agree about Hill though. As Cassidy said would not have won the Oilers game if not for him. Hopefully puck management more consistent vs. MIN.
Tim
Puck management was non-existent in that Arizona game. They were in our zone all night got a little boring to watch. We won good for us.
Larry
I often don’t see eye to eye with Ken… but I have to agree with his assessment VGK was not very good after the first 6 minutes.. and that we were lucky coyotes missed the net on some grade A’s…while I was happy to see miramanov on the first unit power play as virtually anyone is an improvement on Martinez.. sorry Marty…..I will disagree with Cassidy that he didn’t really show me too much.. I recognize it’s his first game back and nerves are in play .. will be interesting to see what Mondays game will bring…in addition to a Thompson/Fleury matchup in goal!
NHhell
I am speculating that one of the following forwards will be with VGK by the trade deadline.
Guentzel from Pitt
Henrique from Anaheim
Tarasenko from Ottawa
Mantha from Wash
All are UFA’s, and the trading team will retain some salary, and Sapovaliv will be part of the return in the deal.
Rashaad
Anthony Mantha is absolutely terrible and like James van Riemsdyk last year, he will not be traded at the deadline even if Washington was retaining half of the salary. Anthony Mantha is complete garbage.
Tarasenko is much to one dimensional to be a Golden Knight. Cassidy would have no use for him. And that one dimension isn’t even elite anymore. No fit whatsoever.
Jake Guentzel is a great player and he would fit in on any team in the league. Great player. I think if he does get traded, which is not even a certainty, the VGK would not have the prospect capital that other teams have to make the deal.
Adam Henrique is a nice player. Vegas is already deep at centre and of course you could never have too many so I would not mind if they got him but I feel like other teams that need him more like the Rangers and Colorado, the teams that missed out on getting Elias Lindholm will end up making a bigger push, and also will have more prospect capital to deal.
Chances that Vegas acquires these guys.
Anthony Mantha 0%
Vladimir Tarasenko 1% (I want to say zero but they got a similar player in Dadonov in the past so they’ve done this before and it worked out badly last time)
Jake Guentzel 3% (to make a move like this you are changing the structure of your team rather than augmenting it. Pittsburgh would want high picks plus a Whitecloud and Korczak. Why would the Stanley Cup champions want to change the structure and identity of their team?)
Adam Henrique 5%. (they don’t need him, but I guess acquiring him would keep him from going to a team like Colorado. I don’t see a fit with Vegas.)
I could see them either not making any moves or adding a depth piece in the mould of a Teddy Blueger type. I know that doesn’t sound sexy or exciting but the VGK just don’t really have any holes.
NHhell
That is why I put them last. Mantha and Tarasenko are no D type wingers who Cassidy would not want.
Guentzel or Henrique would help the team, as there is no way they go into the playoffs with a 3rd line with Amadio and Brisson on the wings.
They were in first place last year and added 3 players at the deadline, and Barbashev was important in the cup victory, which resulted in they traded Smith to re-sign him.
Pistol Pete
Thank you Rashaad for that very informed rundown. Good read and all very plausible!
SB
Mccrimmon will go after Pavel Buchnevich, price will be either Brisson or 2024 1st. Why? Buchnevich is 28 years old with 1 more year under contract. Solid, 2 way producer. Strong career PLUS player. Even better than Barbashev.
knights fan in minny
interesting good size a 60 point 70 point year in the last 4 yrs
Rashaad
No problem Pistol Pete.
I suppose if there is one area they can show up, it would be goaltending because Adin Hill and Logan Thompson are not the most durable players.
I’m not really comfortable with Yiri Patera and Isaiah Saville being the third and fourth goalies due to their inexperience.
Getting a depth goalie couldn’t hurt. Somebody obviously cheap as well. Think Alex Nedeljkovic, Kerel Vejmelka types.
SB
You mean Juri Patera.
Pistol Pete
Rashaad what do you think of Vikman who is 6’4” then the other Swedish kid (will look try and look up his name) also 6’4” I’m pretty sure and still in Sweden. He could be the best G prospect of all. What do you think of Pavel Buchevich? Not sure McCrimmon can engineer that one. He would be good a good fit though. Really good. Like you said for Guentzel, structure altering.
Pistol Pete
Carl Lindbom.
https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/574609/carl-lindbom
Scott Wheeler The Athletic recently ranked him #5 in the prospect pool.
https://theathletic.com/5214501/2024/02/08/golden-knights-nhl-prospect-pool-rankings-2024/?source=user_shared_article
Rashaad
Just don’t know much about the goalies in Henderson.
I like Buchnevich, 5.5 million per year though but that may likely mean moving Alec Martinez.
Has Korczak done enough to convince Cassidy and McCrimmon that he can play Martinez minutes in a playoff run?
Henderson Knights
One reason they may look for low-cap bargain pickups at the deadline is the fact that they already have Marchy and Stephenson as upcoming UFAs, and they may not want to add more summer cap squeeze to what they already face.
Rashaad
Henderson Knights, that might be the case.
Larry
I have what could have been the perfect guy as a rental.. low cost low risk.. but probably would shoot blanks playoff time.. and just may be a cancer in the locker room..left winger Max Pacciorety!! lol
Rashaad
Max Pacioretty. That’s not as crazy as it sounds. He’s got just 1 goal in 14 games with Washington but he is just getting his feet wet again after missing so many games. He is playing nearly 15:00 a night. Washington would probably want very little for him and would probably retain half of his salary to move him.
Patches always seemed to be a team guy with low ego and would probably embrace and thrive coming back in a completely different role. Third liner with some power play time on the second unit. Basically be there Phil Kessel of last year just better and more responsible defensively. Occasional healthy scratch as well. No disrespect to Rondbjerg but I would rather have Pacioretty as a depth forward for a playoff run.
Nic Dowd is a guy on Washington who is getting a lot of praise for the way he is playing as a center on the their bottom 6. In the mood of a Teddy Blueger type. No disrespect to Howden but Dowd would be a better fit. Howden always seems to be the guy they slot back at centre whenever Roy is not on the fourth line and he never really looks good there.
I think Nick Dowd would be a better fit then Patches but I wouldn’t be opposed to getting both of those guys even if it meant moving Howden.
Rashaad
If you were to make a Howden and a 4th round pick for Nic Dowd and Max Pacioretty.
Gives you options. Allows you to use Roy in a bigger roll and not sacrifice the effectiveness of the 4th line since Dowd is very capable. I like Cotter and understand that progression isn’t always linear and he is still not a finished product but in a long playoff run I like the option of what Pacioretty can bring with his experience and how he could potentially help the power play.
Stephenson – Eichel – Stone
Barbashev – Roy – Marchessault
Patches/Cotter – Karlsson – Amadio
Carrier – Dowd – Kolesar
Cotter
Rondbjerg
OR……..
Barbashev – Eichel – Marchessault
Pacioretty – Stephenson – Stone
Dorofeyev – Karlsson – Amadio
Carrier – Roy – Kolesar
Dowd
Cotter
Rondbjerg