Recap: The Golden Knights hosted the Chicago Blackhawks for their 2022-23 season home opener. Both teams had chances in the 1st period but neither could find the back of the net. After 20 minutes the game was locked in a scoreless tie.
Midway through the second frame Golden Knights left wing Paul Cotter gave the home team a 1-0 advantage. It was Cotter’s first of the season and his third career NHL goal. After two periods of play Vegas held on to a slim 1-0 lead.
The game continued to tighten up in the final period which created a couple of power play opportunities for the Golden Knights. Vegas couldn’t convert on either and were forced to protect a one goal lead for the entirety of the frame. Cotter’s goal in the 2nd period was all Vegas needed to defeat Chicago 1-0.
The Golden Knights improve their record to 2-0 and look to stay undefeated when they take the ice on Saturday night in Seattle. Puck drop against the Kraken is scheduled for 7 PM. (Recap by Jason)
Analysis: For the first 20 minutes the Golden Knights were a mess in all three zones and needed a heroic effort from their goalie to keep them in the game. He delivered and then some keeping the game scoreless through one. From there, the defense picked it up and Chicago’s offense pretty much dried up completely. Offensively, there was a lot more there than VGK ended up converting, but if the other team doesn’t score, all you need is one, and Paul Cotter delivered it. (Recap by Ken)
Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs. Chicago Blackhawks at T-Mobile Arena.
- Messier has thoughts about Jack Eichel
Ken’s Three VGK Stars
*** Alec Martinez
** Paul Cotter
* Logan Thompson
Logan Thompson's second shutout of his career.
He earned every bit of it with his 1st period brilliance. From there, the VGK defense locked it down.
VGK are 2-0-0 and in 1st place in the NHL.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) October 14, 2022
The difference between the 1st period and 2nd and 3rd defensively for the Golden Knights was pretty crazy.
The first 20 minutes were a mess. The last 40 they barely allowed a scoring chance let alone a dangerous one.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) October 14, 2022
Fedora power!
Second chance on a two-on-one for Cotter. The first time he tried to pass it, this time he just lasers one. VGK lead 1-0.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) October 14, 2022
Pistol Pete
LT off to a great start: GAA 1.5 SV% .947 (54/57)
Cotter delivered riding with Marchy and Karlsson. Gotta like it.
On to Seattle where I expect more of those shots to find the back of the net.
Pistol Pete
I know it’s too early to really say but I can see a case where Thompson flat out replaces Lehner. LT plays more like Fleury than he does RL. Lehner is too damn big. At 250 lb. he goes down and hurts his hip or shoulder. Overall he’s just too complicated.
Ice Warrior
Thompson’s play last night reminded me of Fleury. He was quick, nimble, athletic…very impressive game for him.
THE hockey GOD
RL is at belle weight loss clinic, when he comes back he will be at a slim 230 pounds !
B-Rad-Lee
Hell, I’m 230 and even at 6’5″, I could stand to lose another 20#.
vgk21
LT looks great. Give me LT any day over RL and his constant issues on and off the ice.
Notice that the 2 best players for the Vgk have been rookies from the Silver Knights, 36 and 43.
welcome back Cotter, who made the 4th line look good in game one, and then made the 3rd line look good in game 2.
LT and PC are the type of young low cap hit players that the Vgk need to step up, and they certainly have done just that. They are the #1 story so far this season, bar none.
They would have lost that game in the first period if not for the heroics of LT.
meanwhile, the PP needs a left handed shooter in the right circle, like Max, Martinez and Hague used to do with the one timers. Cotter should get a look in that role.
THE hockey GOD
Thompson looks great! The Minnesota Wild goalie not so much.
Blitz
Imposter THG or not. MAF is still living rent free in your head(s). Oh by the way. The Ranger are really f-ing good. They are 2-0 against good teams.
knights fan in minny
flower was bad last night the d was even worse rangers are a legit cup contender
THE hockey GOD
The puck luck continues for the VGK as they played a very sloppy, shoddy game. The hawks could easily have won this game by three or four goals. But they failed to
put the puck high or wide against a flopping LT. Who played very well making some key saves despite the inability of hawk players to find open areas of the net.
The hawks continually pummeled the VGK players through the game. No 8, 9, 61, 27, took very physical hits and were lucky to still have their heads attached to neck. They continually took runs at LT as the refs swallowed their whistles and looked the other way.
The VGK had all sorts of problems winning at home last year. The VGK did not play well at home in their first game. Could it be that the ice is not cold enough, not fast enough, for fast VGK players. Hardly any speed was shown in this game. Too many players were losing their edge. It certainly was not due to fact that their blades were sharpened. Maybe the T mobile ice maker thinks he works on the Bellagio fountains? That ice needs to be faster.
Now in other games in the NATIONAL Bask., err National Hockey League.
Arizona desert puppies got eaten alive by the Pittsburg flock of birds 6 -2
the philadelphia whiners crushed the new jersey hell hounds 5-2
ottawa was completely out represented by the buffalo kill billers 4-1
the florida swamp cats squeaked by the New york gilligan islanders 3-1
the toronto loser leafs air blowed by the washington hapless (off
to 0-2 start) 3-2
the new york power rangers (2-0) tamed the wild , blew out the wild,
completely annihilated the wild, burnt down the wild, let it grow and
burnt it down again 7-3
the dallas rodeo clowns corralled the nashville rednecks (don’t call
me a redneck – Doris), ok then the nashville hilly billies 4-1, nashville is 2-1 on the season already as the game over the pond is catching up to them.
the calgary red hots toasted the colorado rocky mountain high ganji smokers 5-3
and
finally
the the the the seattle crack heads (1-0-1) smoked the LA LA LA LA hollywierdos
4-1 (LAK off to a poor start (0-2)
The crack heads have a D man on their team , well they have more than one in schultz and dunn, who make the hanson brothers look like they are still in their training skates. His name is Jamie Olesaik, he’s 6 ft 7 inches he was pummeling the LAK like they were toy dolls. Looks like the off spring of Uhtred son of Uhtred. I bet he can barely put two words together in a sentence. The VGK are going to have their hands full when the play the crack heads soon.
THE FIFTH LINE
gkg
PS this is the real THG, anyone posting otherwise posting under THG ” is assumed to be a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events, is purely coincidental relating to THG”
Erik
What an embarrassing POS you are
Emmanuel
Almost every a F comes out of nowhere and scores 20G or 50P. Can Cotter do it?
knights fan in minny
that would be a pleasant surprise
Jailbird
HAIL LT !!!!!
knights fan in minny
lehner will never play for vegas again
THE hockey GOD
I have a funny feeling you may be right, even though he’s a nice guy – when he’s on bi polar meds. And his agent doesn’t post funny cartoons stabbing coach in back. He’s a team player (for which team, some times I wonder)
JoeinHendo
Here we are, game #2, and Thompson already has a shutout. I’m not sure, but I don’t think Lehner had more than 2-3 shutouts the entire last season? Those of us on this site who’ve supported LT over RL since last season are feeling great seeing Thompson proving himself. I agree with Pistol Pete, watching LT last night reminded me of Fleury during those first couple magical VGK seasons. Those seasons before MAF became distracted by the inexplicable hiring of distraction-causing kneeler Lehner, the sad passing of his father, the firing of Gallant, and the disrespectful and unceremoniously way RL was given MAF’s job without earning it whatsoever. I’m so happy for the opportunity Thompson’s been given to prove himself without the unnecessary circus sideshow distractions caused by RL. Some of those acrobatic saves LT made last night were amazing! A 1-0 score with Lehner in the net almost always means VGK are going to be on the losing end. I don’t want to compare Thompson to MAF or RL, he’s his own man, but those athletic saves he made last night coupled with puck control on shots on goal are a lethal combo (very Fleury-esque lol). I love the winning narrative Thompson’s creating for himself and the Knights under our Coach Cassidy.
TS
Joe, great thoughts. LT is going to be a great goalie for us! GO KNIGHTS!
knights fan in minny
the stack the pads save was cool
Blitz
I agree with the 3 stars and assessment. Martinez took a nice step up this game and was noticeably very good. Cotter and LT obvious choices for stars. Cotter really really fits well with this team. Good for him. I thought the 4th line was a step down without him, but he was all the difference in the game on the 3rd so there you go. The game wasn’t good. I felt like Chicago disrupted or intercepted 85% of VGK passes, it was chaos alot. They were every where at all times. Luckily defense smothered them the second half. I think one score from them and we were in trouble. Kind of felt that all game. Live another day and hopefully grow. 2-0
Hague didn’t have a very good game, but that is understandable/acceptable. He looked like it was his first game after no preseason/camp. Whitecloud on the other hand needs to get it tightened up.
THE hockey GOD
@ blitz, no 2/ no14.
I believe the coach recognized this and limited their playing accordingly. No. 14 more so than no.2. Takes a while for no. 14 to get timing back, they will be good. Wait for it.
Blitz
Yeah I agree. Like I said though Hague gets a pass. WC needs to get it together though. His several blunders last night could have been the difference in the game and might have been against a better team. I think Seattle is going to be a good team (not top shelf, but good) this year. Seattle is next. So dial it in and win some points against the teams that are going to be fighting for wildcards or even 3rd spot this year. Can’t wait till later in the season for a come back. Gotta beat these teams now. Luckily LA is trash, both in team so far and real life.
Tim
A win is a win. Logan played great but even a bad team that gets an outstanding game out of there goalie can keep it close. Give credit to Chicago’s goalie he to was outstanding. I see McDavid or MacKinnon play and there electric and I see Eichel play and he’s not even close. I’m glad we have him but a first a second, Tuch and Krebs and a 19 million dollar hit on a guy who doesn’t look better then some of our other centers. What’s not to like in Paul Cotter he is fitting right in. Carrier and Hague back although Hague is rusty just adds to our depth. Looks like Karlsson is getting more quality shots I think he’s going to have a big year under the new system. I’m really pleased with our defense Petro, Martinez, Theadore, Whitecloud, McNabb all look solid. After Seattle we’ll have a good idea where were at playing Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, and Colorado all in a row. Fortunately 3 of the 4 games are at home. Home we have a little more success at home this year then last.
Sorvino
Agree Tim. I’m glad we got Eichel as well. And he is not elite like McDavid or McKinnon very true. We used to be so thin at center. Look at us now.
Eichel – Stephenson – Karlsson – Roy
Tim
Sorry hit the wrong number 10 million on Eichel
THE hockey GOD
Hey Blitz my brother, MAF played like an ass clown yesterday night. That’s simply the truth. That’s as true as your statement that the Rangers are really fucking good because they are.
Word up.
Word to the bird
THE FIFTH LINE!!!
Blitz
Gee you make it sound like giving up 7 goals on 35 shots is a bad thing. MAF will be fine…or he won’t. Not too concerned about it any more now that we have The Bizarro Fleury (right hand glove).
THE hockey GOD
^^^ fake hockey God^^^
Pistol Pete
Can’t wait for SEA and CGY.
TS
These last few preseason games were good – when Dow the real season start?
TS
FYI: LAST Ts post is NOT the REAL TS. Disregard!
THE hockey GOD
get lost punk
Ts
Thg, appreciate the comment! Guy’s a clown…
Vic
How is this possible? I had to check three sources to be sure, The six VGK D men registered ZERO hits last night? This points to a decent Chicago game plan, some quick young forwards, and the VGK D a step behind everyone….at least for one game. Obviously, this sort of thing should never happen. I don’t think this is part of the Cassidy’s game plan.
Beat Navy
Is no one else seriously concerned about how badly we played? We barely squeaked by the worst team in the league, who was on the second night of a back-to-back, had a long flight from Denver, and played their backup goalie while we were playing in our home opener after a clutch win? If we put forth that effort against any other team at any other time, we lose bad. Glad LT got a shutout but it was against a glorified AHL team and in the perfect situation.
Sorvino
Beat Navy, I’m not concerned. Before the season I was very worried about their lack of depth on forward after basically losing Pacioretty, Dadonov and Janmark for nothing. I’m still concerned but I am encouraged by the play of Phil Kessel and Paul Cotter so far. I’m not sure if Kessel is going to be able to hack it all year playing with Eichel but he is certainly a better player than Janmark for less money. Cotter looks like a NHL player. That’s good news since we haven’t been able to develop talent very well so far.
And a win is a win. It’s a long season and you don’t wanna peak early and burn out and you also don’t want to give away points either and they have gotten four out of a possible four points so far.
I would have a hard time being negative right now.
THE hockey GOD
what part of “VGK played a very sloppy and shoddy game” did you not see above ? As well as everything else posted above ?
TS
Beat Navy, th we guys definitely played FLAT. Maybe playing down to the weak competition? Letdown from Game 1?. Abit of both, I suspect.
knights fan in minny
i thought stalock retired
knights fan in minny
that would be a pleasant surprise
THE hockey GOD
“SinBin.vegas
@SinBinVegas
·
1h
Mark Stone and Jonathan Marchessault are not at practice today. Amadio and Cotter filling in their roles on the power play.”
Mark Stone got clobbered last nite as a black hawk goon absolutely cleaned his clock while he was standing almost in the goalie crease.
I hope he is fine.
THE hockey GOD
check out the replay of Dallas Stars Mason Marchment last night.
TS
I love cartoons…comic books too…go LVGK
knights fan in minny
cartoons and comic books i see you did not make it past 3rd grade fake ts
TS
I’m TS…how dare you tell me who I am! You are named after Minnie Mouse and I don’t make fun of you…
TS
This clown must stay up 24/7 so he can impersonate us all. What a productive life he leads! Guess when he’s still living with Mommy, borrowing her phone and her lingerie for kicks and giggles, he finds this amusing. He trolled me 2 seasons ago, and now he’s two years older and DUMBER.
knights fan in minny
it is spelled different are you really that stupid my guess is yes you nauseating piece of crap you think you’re so funny trying to piss people off grow up pussy boy
TS
Minny, appreciate you!
knights fan in minny
no problem