Recap: The Golden Knights continued their six-game road trip with a matchup against the New Jersey Devils. New Jersey jumped ahead 3:58 into the game but Vegas was able to weather the storm and hold it to a 1-0 Devils lead after 20 minutes of action.
Vegas’ offense warmed up in the middle frame, tallying two goals in a three-minute span. The Golden Knights turned the table and carried a 2-1 advantage into the second intermission.
The game tightened up in the final period making it difficult for New Jersey to generate many chances. However, late in the game the Devils tied the game on a 6-on-5 forcing an overtime period. Ben Hutton committed a tripping penalty in sudden death to give New Jersey a power play. The Devils completed the comeback and won 3-2 in OT.
The Golden Knights record drops 29-17-3 losing to the Devils 3-2 in OT. Next, Vegas will take on the New York Rangers on Friday evening. Puck drop is scheduled for 4 PM. (Recap by Jason)
Analysis: The Golden Knights played the style of road game you set out to play, especially when you are struggling. They were hard on their sticks, good along the wall, had strong puck support, and got great goaltending. They just wound up letting in two fluky goals and then got beat by a superhero play from Jack Hughes. Such a rough loss for a team that needed a win, but a point is so much better than coming out empty-handed. (Analysis by Ken)
Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs. New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center.
- Power play let Devils off the hook
Ken’s Three VGK Stars
*** Brayden McNabb
** Logan Thompson
* Ben Hutton
Hughes sneaks through, finds Hamilton and there's nothing Thompson can do on that one either.
That is the first goal Logan Thompson has ever allowed in OT.
Brutal loss in a game they played very well. Take the point, go play like that again against the New Yorks.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) January 25, 2023
Man oh man oh man.
VGK were doing so well through the NZ. They have that play defended exactly how you'd like and it bounces off McNabb and in. Two goals, two bad breaks.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) January 25, 2023
Much better puck support all over the ice tonight. Huge reason why VGK have had the majority of the offensive zone time.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) January 25, 2023
VGK are doing a great job on the pucks laying in front of Thompson. They've won to pretty much every one of them all night.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) January 25, 2023
knights fan in minny
heart breaking loss logan was out standing
Knights fan in minnie
Annabelle was so hot
Howard
Power play stinks, Eichel is a total disaster, the goaltending is only average, and the team has no heart. One and done playoff team at best. Cassidy needs to go too.
Richie-Rich
You are right on Eichel, at least it is looking like this was a bad roster move right now. Cassidy needs to be given time. Stop changing coaches like underwear.
FACTS:
TUCH 53 points
EICHEL 26 points and even if you interpolate them playing the same number of games you get the following>
TUCH 53 points SALARY $4.7million per year through 2026
EICHEL 47 points SALARY $10million per year through 2026
That’s a $5.3million dollar difference and let’s not forget the picks and Krebs.
McCrimmon is an Idiot and The hockey God is his stooge.
DeezNutz
I just knew they were going to lose this game. This team seems to play well once every 3 or so games but still can’t win because they lack scoring talent. Eichel is a bust get this overpaid bum off my team! The lineup is constructed too poorly to win the cup (or maybe even make playoffs) Too old, too slow, can’t pass and couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn if their life depended on it. Sell anyone of value and start looking for players who can actually score goals! You know put pucks in the net? What you are paid for! This team has been WORTHLESS since Montreal embarrassed them.
Alex
Make A wish kid just rescinded her wish
the hockey God
a valiant effort, howden in a fight ??!!
too bad no. 3 left no. 6 out to dry on first goal, and again no 6 did not close the gap. Then no. 3 deflected goal past LT, then no. 3 bashed hughes into the boards without getting the puck. But no. 3 isn’t fault for whole game. VGK got one point on road. That is good thing.
LT was outstanding, but just came up short in the end.
The no. 9 haters remind me of RL haters from last year. Especially when the whole team is in a slump, and there are still injuries. Most unsophisticated fan base in sports, per Ian’s words.
Annabelle
You are a moron
THE hockey God
Eichel is doing really great! The power play is fantastic!
Richie-Rich
Eichel’s tearing it up and earning every penny of that $10 million.
THE hockey God
Eichel is underpaid! There was a study on it
knights fan in minny
ken who runs this site hen are you going to have the balls to vanish the fake ass poster who comes on here for one thing to mock people step up kenny
Alex
Annabelle has a better grasp of syntax and punctuation than you do
Pistol Pete
That game showed this team is capable of hanging with the best teams in the league without the captain and a top point getter. Piss poor break the deflection off McNabb’s body as we probably would have won this game. Still tied for first in the division though admittedly could be not for long unless the rest of this road trip goes well which who knows it may. Will be nice to have Theo back.
Pistol Pete
Sure wish this Eichel scoring drought would end. Not quite sure what to think of it. Couple points off a point a game now.
Pistol Pete
Thompson was pretty elite that game. He was something like 34/35 before that stupid unlucky defection off McNabb. Well maybe not “stupid” because those things happen but you know what I mean.
Pistol Pete
Is Stephenson more or less a “passenger” as a top line winger with Eichel and Stone?
Pistol Pete
Though nominally a C, Stephenson has come a long ways from his pre-VGK days. Now just north of a career half a point a game and this season @ 43 pts (11 G/32 A) in 49 games, he’s probably a legitimate top three to six winger. Earlier this month he had a five game pointless streak however. Eichel is currently on a three games pointless streak and had one other earlier and a couple twos. Looking around at the top scorers some have had multiple two and three game pointless streaks. Like I said I’m not sure about Eichel’s recent lack of points and am not making excuses per se, but logically he’d produce more with Stone to his right than a Kessel for example. Let’s see what he’ll do vs. the Rangers on Friday albeit sans Stone. Maybe Theo will be able to create some synergy with Jack since they’re both puck movers.
Dylan
Jack Eichel is just kind of a Real Loser, eh? Way to keep chasing The Bright Shiny New Gold Object, Greedhead Foley.
Whoops?
Pistol Pete
Notable pointless game streaks (point a game or higher players):
Artemi Panarin (50 pts/47 games):
(5) 2’s
(1) 3
Mika Zibanejad (49 pts/47 games)
(1) 4
Nikki Rantanen (58 pts/46 games)
(4) 2’s
(1) 4
Brad Marchand (45 pts/39 games)
(1) 4
Roop Hintz (45 pts/41 games):
(2) 2’s
(1) 3
Jordan Kyrou (46 pts/45 games):
(2) 2’s
(1) 4
Steven Stamkos (55 pts/46 games):
(1) 2
(1) 4
Nico Hischier (46 pts/46 games):
(1) 5
Sidney Crosby (57 pts//47 games):
(1)2
(1) 3
(1) 4
Alexander Ovechin (53 pts/49 games):
(3) 2’s
(1) 3
Note: A number of notables including McDavid have one or more 2’s but not more than a 2. In any case the above cases demonstrate that elite scorers (point a game) experience pointless game streaks not unlike Eichel this season who currently sits just outside a point a game (34 pts/36 games) with pointless game streaks of (3) 2’s and a 3. For sure he’s in a funk being pointless in 5 of the last six going -5 indicating he has not been stepping up enough defensively either. Anyways, it is what is it. No excuses for it just hoping he gets hot and does it without Stone (obviously).
Pistol Pete
Bear in mind a pointless game is not always synonymous with offensive or defensive ineffectiveness. For example Eichel made the first pass to the center of the offensive zone leading to the Martinez goal in the Caps game going +2 but pointless for the game.
Hdbiker7851
Pistol. Pete – if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck in all probability it is a duck – this describes Eichel and his performance which in no way is worth 10 mil a year. Give me two 5 mil a year guys versus one 10 mil and l will win every time. All your stats about who goes pointless at times is eravalant and doesn’t address the Vegas Eichel problem. If vegas management had any balls they would admit the the Eichel mistake. I want to see them win as much as you but can’t buy into your continued defense of Eichel. I sad it was a mistake and a trade that should never have taken place – it was just a shiny object (injured no less) in the eyes of vegas mgt and a total waste of cap dollars.
Richie-Rich
BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT:
VEGAS GOT RIPPED BY THE RIPPER.
Look, I was crystal clear in my opposition to this trade when it happened. But, for Pete’s sake (literally Pistol Pete) I kept an open mind about him. At the time I was more concerned about the medical risk and how his injury might impact his performance going forward.
Obviously the surgery was a complete success, but whether or not the injury is a factor in his lack of performance is still a jury that is out for deliberation. What is obvious to me is that despite the fact that Tuch and Eichel are about the same age, Tuch is much bigger and nearly $5 million per year cheaper. Tuch’s having a very good season this year and he’s on a team that isn’t as good as Vegas (at least on paper).
Eichel obviously has excellent speed and passing skills, but for some reason he is completely shut down and invisible. This is very likely to how teams strategize to defend with a focus on double teaming Jack. But, when you look at other top forwards in this league making Eichel money – they almost always find a way to carry their team (more often than not). NOT THE CASE with Jack (more often than not he’s invisible).
Definitely not worth $10 million per year.
VEGAS GOT RIPPED BY THE RIPPER!
Richie-Rich
The hockey DEVIL
Alex
Very refreshing post! And spot on…calling out that moron THG on his lack of hockey acumen is stellar!
This team has no heart – the line up includes an overpaid flop, an injured solid player, two average at best goalies, and a bunch of minor leaguers. Add to this a bewildered coach who is an upgrade to PDB, but shouldn’t be here either – The Turk was a winner and should still be here. The heart and soul of the team, MAF should still be here too, and the Eichel waste of money should hav?e be used for a new goalie as MAF winds it down.
Instead its an owner that now focuses on overpriced wine, weird indoor sports no one cares about and all manner if other dumb projects.
It’s too bad. VGK used to have a mystique and allure to it…now its just another one and done at best hockey team that attracts nutty and no nothing fans who either knit small dog VGK sweaters, hide in triple wides waiting for meals on wheels, or soil their adult diapers recalling the time 60 years ago when they were cut from the local pee wee club back in Arsehole Manitoba and think that makes them a hockey expert.
TS
Yes, sir!
Blitz
Out of most of the games lately, last nights game *didn’t* leave me all pissed off and shaking my head. I thought there was some good effort and some bad breaks. NJ is a good team, but we made a game of it and really should have won. Hutton ended up with a bad penalty in OT, but the dude put in a, noticeable, hell of a game. He was giving 100% effort. Can’t say I felt that with Marty. He has way more d man talent, but WAY less effort and level of give a shit.
The PP is trash. The announcers were rightfully ripping on it. Eichel just holding the puck forever, then trying to make the perfect, well telegraphed play. Zero energy, no chance for one timers. What’s the point? I would rather see pass-pass-pass-fail then dancing around with zero shots on goal. The defense doesn’t hardly have to move.
We got a point, move on to the next game.
Danny
effin McNabb loses another one. he was main culprit on all 3 goals for NJ. He sucks going all the way back to game 7 vs SJ in playoffs.
3rd star? for Devils, maybe…..that is an effin joke.
Tim
When the Knights play bad I’m critical when they play good I’ll praise them. Last bight I thought they played hard and should have won but the better team doesn’t always win. Logan Thompson played well and talk about puck luck the Devils had it in spades last night. If you watched the game on ESPN + then you heard the there evaluation of our Power Play in one word non-existent which is putting it mildly. It haunted us last year and it’s reared it’s ugly head again this year. Cassidy has to be totally embarrassed knowing what they said about his PP. Oh well so far 1 out of 4 points on this road trip heading to New York. Stone is just irreplaceable and if he stays out it won’t be good. I think I told you all about what kind of playerPaul Cotter was when I compared him to Jack Eichel outplaying him at 1/10th the price. Does Eichel look lost or is it just me?
Blitz
Eichel definitely doesn’t look the same since the injury. I have to believe it has to do with that or is a product of that some how. Early season, at times, he looked like the best player on the ice. Now he looks very vanilla and not all that noticeable. You could say maybe it has to do with the chaos around him, but really that was no different than last year and he still stood out. Something is a miss for sure.
Pistol Pete
But he did well when he first came back like 4 points in three games. When Eichel was out Stone was very good but with Stone out Eichel has struggled in fact the whole team is going 1-5-1. Stone makes a big difference and Stephenson/Eichel/Stone worked well. Stone being out is probably part of Eichel’s problem but too bad he can’t do as well with Stone out as Stone did with him out. Stephenson has been slumping as well. As I posted above, many point a game players have pointless game streaks of three games and more so Eichel’s slump is not that rare. It is five out the last six are pointless though which is fairly extreme. Mathew Barzal, the Isles’ top scorer (42 pts/48 games) recently broke a 7 pointless game streak. It is possible Eichel is nursing an injury. He’s tough, playing with a broken thumb to end last season.
Tim
Let’s live in the real world Stone’s playing career is in doubt. That back issue will keep him out or if he comes back eats knowing he’s the man will target him and reinsuring his back is a real possibility. So are we better having him out for the year and use that 9 million to pick up to guys who can put the puck in the net for 4.5 million each? Having an injured Stone back going through the motions just doesn’t seem like a good idea to me. Jack Eichel has regressed is he healthy or saying his neck and back are like new isn’t completely true?
Tim
Spell check sucks that’s all I can say
Sorvino
I agree with Tim and Blitz on their assessments that the VGK played well against the Devils. I generally disagree with them. (Which is okay)
I will repeat something I said about a week ago. Other then a goalie, a single player can not have as massive an impact on a game as most people think. A basketball player can play 42 out of 48 minutes, an NHL forward will play about 18 minutes out of 60 minutes. Eichel’s performance is not going to determine whether they win or lose every game. It would help if he was more productive, but winning or losing is dependant on what the players do as a whole. Chandler Stephenson who I love has been MIA lately. Every year it seems like each misfit goes through EXTREMELY long stretches of not producing. I don’t know how a Reilly Smith can score 12 goals in n 15 games and then get 1 goal in the next 30 games.
BOTTOM LINE – AS LONG AS THOMPSON IS COMPETENT / DECENT, THE TEAM SHOULD BE FINE IF THE PLAYERS ARE MORE CONSISTENT.
It’s not all up to Eichel.
Tim
Decent team I agree but the bar Foley set was not for a decent team. Now were older slower and some players have had there better days. If I was the GM changes I’d make first the keepers, Stephenson, Stone ?, Carrier, Cotter, Eichel, Howden, Kessel, Marchessault, Smith, Roy, Korczak, Miromanov, Petro, Theadore, Whitecloud, Dorofeyev, trade and move couldn’t score in an open net, Amadio been on many teams for a reason, Frosse not bad but 31 to old, Karlsson good guy but lost his touch time to move on, Patrick DUD, Hague Can’t score gets beat a lot, Martinez One goal from a vet goodbye, McNabb couldn’t score if he had to, Kolesar just doesn’t have a touch, Hutton pushing 30 need to get younger. A lot depends on Stone’s condition whether we make moves or not. The way the team is constructed now were going to get worse year after year. The first year we were young and fast now were old and slow. We need younger players to mix with the vet’s we have to play faster. This isn’t rocket science.