Recap: The Golden Knights hosted the Colorado Avalanche for a preseason rematch. The Golden Knights got off to a quick start as Zach Whitecloud and William Karlsson connected for the game’s first goal. Karlsson deflected an open pass in the high slot from Whitecloud. Forward Gage Quinney notched his first of the preseason 10 minutes later. Vegas goaltender Logan Thompson held the early lead stopping several quality chances by the Avalanche in the opening 20 minutes. VGK lead 2-0 after one.
The home team came out hot again in the middle frame when forward Michael Amadio extended Vegas’ lead to 3-0. Amadio’s first of the preseason was assisted by Karlsson and Whitecloud. Vegas’ Paul Cotter, Keegan Kolesar, and Kaedan Korczak all found the net later in the period to extend their team’s lead to 6-0.
Colorado finally jumped on the board 4:47 into the final period. However, the Golden Knights did a good job of limiting chances down the stretch. Chandler Stephenson tacked on the extra point to make it 7-1 with a little more than five minutes left. Thompson was sharp in net playing the entire 60 minutes in a winning effort.
The Golden Knights win their first preseason game 6-1 with three remaining. Vegas will next host the San Jose Sharks on Friday night from T-Mobile Arena. (Recap by Jason)
Analysis: The 1st period wasn’t pretty for the Golden Knights offensively. Even though they scored twice, they generated almost nothing. The 2nd was the complete opposite. They were all over the Colorado Eagles Avalanche. Colorado simply didn’t show up, credit to VGK for embarrassing them for it. (Recap by Ken)
Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs. Colorado Avalanche preseason game at T-Mobile Arena.
- 1st period starts
Ken’s Three VGK Stars
*** Jake Leschyshyn
** Zach Whitecloud
* Paul Cotter
For the very little VGK did offensively in the first period, they are all over the shell of an Avs team they are playing here in the 2nd. Literally looks like VGK have more players on the ice at all times.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) September 29, 2022
Great pass by Brayden Pachal. Cotter continues to stay hot. Amadio has to be happy he scored cause Paul is nipping at his heels.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) September 29, 2022
Love to see VGK winning to rebounds. Been a problem for a few years now. Amadio won to that one easily.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) September 29, 2022
Mark
Some of these kids deserve a shot. If a guy is 22 and needs more AHL time, he simply isn’t good enough and probably will never be. We all know our high end guys can play, but our only chance is the other half , the young guys need a big look. Their proving themselves . If they produce we need them on the roster. These young guys looked sharp, we need them big time this year. Cotter, etc….
Pistol Pete
Then one has Marchy who played over 300 AHL games and was pushing 25 before he made it up. One never knows.
TS
Pp, i think Marchy is an exception in hockey. He has the drive and work ethic to rival anyone…he has believed in himself all through his career, proving he could compete and excel at this level. Not too many small(ish) guys make it big in this tough sport. I hope Manninen follows him in his success– he’s a sparkplug out there!
I
Mark
Agree, but he was definitely an exception !
Pistol Pete
Yeah TS, Manninen though already 30 is a decent looking prospect. Could be between him and maybe Cotter to supplant Amadio?
Has Cotter emerged as the favorite against Leschyshyn and Rondbjerg? His scoring has been less at HSK but all of a sudden he looks like the stronger of the three and Cassidy played him in all three games. 2 G/1 A
Pistol Pete
Have to like Cotter going to the front of the net. That is what it’s all about. That and defense.
knights fan in minny
he does have a nose for the net it was a good game logan was solid
TS
Pp, yup, Cotter is definitely a standout in preseason…he’s a Keeper!
THE hockey GOD
30 year old players are not considered “prospects” by any stretch of imagination ; unless they play in the “old timers” league . Some where, some place.
I don’t see ALL of the Kid line making the team; one or more will likely have to go through waivers. Unless one of the veterans get injured, and they play a waiting game.
Pistol Pete
Cassidy has to choose between Cotter, Leschyshyn and Rondbjerg is my understanding. None are waivers exempt, correct? One goes on waivers per scenario below?
23 on the roster?
(2) G
(7) D
(14) F
Leaves three scratches— (2) F and (1) D. That could mean one of the above goes on waivers?
Pistol Pete
Rondbjerg: 2 G/4 A/0 (30 games)
Leschyshyn: 2 G/4 A/-2 (41 games)
Rondbjerg is taller and heavier.
Cotter: 2 G/0 A/+1 (7 games)
Have to like Cotter’s preseason showing as well as his 2 G in just 7 regular season games.
THE hockey GOD
thanks now you have jinxed them all
way to go PP
Blitz
Don’t be forgetting LB. Unless they can stuff him on LTIR. He is still around to muddy the goalie water. You are either carrying 3 G’s or someone has to go or LT back to HSK. The later would be totally stupid, but is still a possibility. If no LTIR you then have (1)F and (1)D and (1) G as scratches.
We’ll see how it shakes out.
Emmanuel
id like to see a
Manninen / Eichel / Kessel
line.
TS
PO,went to practice today, scrimmage between veterans and the new guys…Notably, Cotter played with the veterans. Seems this may be his shot this season!
Also, Thompson looked sharp at net–he fills the net well, quick and agile. I liked him last season, still do. We’ll be ok with him.
knights fan in minny
logan has a calm presence in the blue paint does not get rattled
TS
Minny, agreed! If he kept his cool under enormous pressure last season, he’ll excel this season!
vgk21
the Vgk lost a few goal scorers in the summer, so that makes Cotter the favorite to replace them. adding defensive forwards like Jake or Rond does not replace the lack of goal scoring. Cotter can play in the top 9, but Jake and Rond are strictly defensive options.
JV
So far Cotter has earned his spot. I guess we’ll see when he faces regulars in the last pre season games. On the one goal surrendered where the heck was Pachal? Nobody covered the goal scorer. Skated into view 2-3 seconds after the goal was scored. The other D was covering another forward already.
Sandin signed 1.4M x 2 with Leafs. If Hague is asking for more than that he better wake up. Yes, being 6 ft 6 inch is nice, but he doesnt know how to use it.
Pistol Pete
I want to say Korczak will be better defensively better than Hague. Tall enough enough and way better skater. Offensive upside imo.
Blitz
I would be super curious, and we will prob never know, what Hague actually wants. Maybe he is asking for 1.4M x 2 or less and vegas is like hell no. Vegas may only be offering his RFA min. To me they have all the leverage. They have good prospects and, despite what Ken thinks, Hutton is better at ‘defense’ than Hague, a better skater and puck carrier and makes peanuts for 2 years. Hague is better offensively, but is soft and slow and offense isn’t as valuable in this dman system. Hague has to sign his offer at some point if vegas doesn’t budge. So we will see the number.
The Hague situation makes sense, but why Jason Robertson isn’t signed is baffling. Unless his money ask is just stupid.
JV
Hague’s QO should have been around 900K. Would be interesting what Hague’s ask is or what McC put on the table.
I think Dallas GM Jim Nill’s comment sums up why Jason isn’t signed. It was along the lines of ” A player is coming off the 3rd year of his ELC and now wants to be paid 7 million dollars a year” Now looking at what Tim Stutzle, Robert Thomas, and others have got, north of 8 million for Robertson, who is better, isn’t that far- fetched. This looks like a long one, similar to Nystrom on the Leafs a few years back.
JV
I meant Nylander
Roberto
Hague is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Resign for minimal offer, and likely not put up numbers in this new system that get you a better deal next off season. Other than that, can his agent engineer a deal elsewhere into a better situation? Looks like the VGK front office is set on letting him figure this out on his own.
Hdbiker7851
Maybe their learning- it’s about time. Normally they just bend over and say give it to me. They have made a number of those signings that has put them in cap hell. To many retirement contracts on the books. Things went their way last night – a nice win. It’s unfortunate a few of the up and comers don’t have much of a chance to make the roster as they are much hungrier than some of the regulars who l guess believe they have a spot.
THE hockey GOD
name one RFA signing contract that put them in cap hell ?? The topic at hand is RFA contracts, not contracts in general.
Shea Theodore’ was a RFA, a few years back, and VGK took forever to sign him, and he took awhile to come back into line up.
Stephanie
I think Theodore held out and got what he wanted back then .I heard Hague was offered minimum or around there and thats it .But honestly i havent really kept it lately
Stephanie
*kept up*
hdbiker7851
THg – AS usual – your reading skills are lacking – no one said it was RFA that put them in cap hell. Their history concerning some of their acquisitions has put them there.
THE hockey GOD
the topic of this thread is signing RFA , specifically centering around Hague, you wrote
“They have made a number of those signings that has put them in cap hell.”
clear as mud on your face.
“those signings” refer to RFA signings, which is topic of this thread.
Richie-Rich
Very difficult to learn much about the 6th Edition of the VGK during preseason. The Avalanche obviously didn’t have their best out on the ice. In the past two games we’ve skated two veteran lines and put out a strong defense. Goaltending will remain a question going forward for a while. I think Logan is the 1A since none of the others have demonstrated that they can be the starter at this level.
For me, just looking for standouts and Cotter, Thompson, Whitecloud and Lechyshyn looked great to me last night. I was also impressed with the play of both Korczak and Amadio.
Kolesar finally gets a lucky break, a very rare thing for him to find net.
THE hockey GOD
@ RR
B
I
N
G
O
!! Give that poster a free cookie, someone. anyone ?
THE hockey GOD
Cassidy is showing some imagination in coming up these line combinations. He had one line last nite that was made up of all speed burners. I don’t think they got much playing time, but the Q guy did get a goal , stealing puck in O zone and cleanly beating goalie.