Play faster.
That’s the message coming from the Golden Knights ahead of Game 2 against the Minnesota Wild.
After a Game 1 in which Vegas posted 42 shots while being shut out, the Golden Knights are looking for a repeat of the 1st period as opposed to what happened in the last two and overtime.
We played fast in the 1st period and then as the game went on we slowed down a little bit. They played a part in how they defended but we’ve got to use our speed and play fast. As the game went on we got out of that a little bit. We allowed them to slow us down and get us into that type of game. -Pete DeBoer
Jonathan Marchessault, who recorded four shots in 16:45 of action in Game 1, agreed.
We’ve got to play fast. As soon as we get the puck we’ve got to go north with it super fast. (We have to) give good options to our defensemen and get inside the coverage inside the o-zone when we have possession and obviously make life a little tougher on Cam (Talbot) and be more in his area. -Marchessault
The Golden Knights do not seem rattled by the Game 1 loss despite the outcome looking eerily similar to the games in Edmonton that ended the 2019-20 campaign.
We’ve got to stop focusing on what they do and we have to focus on what we can do to be successful. It comes back to playing fast, getting quality shots, and getting secondary chances in front of their goalie. We had 40 wins this season doing that so there’s no doubt in my mind if we do that we will be winners tonight. -Marchessault
Absolutely we want to get more quality shots but we still generated 40 plus shots and there were quality shots in that number. If we had generated 15, I would be a lot more concerned right now about our ability to score. We have to do a better job of generating some more quality looks and inside looks. There are things to improve at but the sky isn’t falling for sure. -DeBoer
However, that doesn’t mean the games in the bubble aren’t still on their minds.
They have really good defensemen, they play well, they are structured, they keep us to the outside. But we can’t overthink it. Like last year we were overthinking against Dallas. We were like ‘oh we’ve got get to the front of the net.’ Let’s just play hockey. Play in control with the puck and things will open up if we support each other and are close to each other. -Marchessault
It doesn’t appear the Golden Knights are looking to deploy a new style tonight against the Wild. Instead, they want to get back to what they’ve done best. Play fast, play with the puck, and finish the way they have all season.
They need to actually do it though. Because if they don’t, the sky will be falling in Vegas.
DOC (Go Knights Go)
To the boys, tonight: Win this game any way you need to.
Win pretty or ugly.
Win with finesses or physicality.
Win by one goal or ten.
Win with any type shot it takes.
WIN this game!
You MUST WIN this game!
You WILL WIN this game!
Ken Boehlke
Is this Vince Lombardi or Doc?
DOC (Go Knights Go)
I taught Lombardi ! 😉
Vic
Come on boys, win one (better yet 16) for Doc and the Gipper.
DOC (Go Knights Go)
🙂
Blitz
VGK game plan: “Play with the lead”
My thought: “Scoring a f-ing goal or the game plan is shot”
Tim
I’ll bet there were a lot of Vegas personal that had a sleepless night. Management put everything on the line acquiring Petro and Lehner and if we go out in 5 which seems realistic there will be a lot of soul searching. Patch not up to par against Dallas and again a no show in the playoffs it’s time to trade him and get some cap space while his value is still high. Someone always needs a sniper of his quality. The season is about making the playoffs and if your unavailable for the playoffs whats the point. I can think of a lot of things to transform this team into a Stanley Cup champion but that’s for a later post. Fortunately one of my grandsons has a birthday party tonight which I’ll miss the game but no big loss WI can do without the misery. Considering our playoff scoring ability and our PP which you hear all the excuses because we haven’t had time to practice. Let’s look at that logically if you can’t score and the PP at least gives you a chance to play with one extra man anyone with a brain would say that’s an important weapon let’s perfect it. Not us giving us a PP is just a waste of two minutes which knocks us out of our rhythm of 5 on 5.
Daryl
The plan should be to get more quality shots… I don’t care if you only get 20 shits if they are quality shots. On the flip side, let’s not forget about defense. VGK gave up way too many quality shits. We can’t expect MAF to be in position all night and make the saves over and overall again lime last game. MAF is why VGK only lost by one goal… That’s what happens in when you in the correct position to make saves
Mike StG
Daryl – Great post!! 🙂 I don’t care either how many shits they GET. I just want them to GIVE A shit. Right on, brother!!
PJ Turner
Hockey has changed in the last 2-3 seasons. Goalies are better trained and have reflexes vastly improved by years of Microsoft X-Boxing and Sony PS4-ing. This generation of goalie have crazy hand eye coordination this league has never seen before. Forget about quicker harder shots at goal. If the goalie can see it, he can stop it.
Remember that series last year against the Canucks? How many shots on goal? How many went in past some rookie goalie we never heard of ? Didn’t we learn anything from that game?
What is missing from the VGK arsenal is the “gritty” dirty goal scorers. In the playoffs you need that guy that’s willing to hang around the goal area and take shellacking but when the puck is in the vicinity, create chaos and hope for a lucky bounce. We need someone to step up and be the tough guy with quick soft hands. We had one last season. Paul Stastny. Reavo and Carrier could play that role but neither have the quick hands and reflexes like Stastny. The problem is that Stastny at 6ft 193lbs was easily manhandled by the defense goons.
Playoffs are not like regular season games. Goals are hard to come by. Pretty goals are even harder to come by. Dirty goals are even harder but guess what, a good goalie can stop all kinds of goals but the dirty ones are usually 50-50. I’d take those odds anytime in the post season.
Crash the Net! Take the beating! Be Vegas Strong on the Puck!
Go Knights Go!
THE hockey GOD
@PJ Turner
That and the ice is a lot smaller because the players are bigger and faster. Plus the goalie equipment is a lot better. Go back and watch games in yester years and you see a lot more players with time and space. No one has time to take a slap shot anymore flying down the wing.
TIME
and
SPACE.
knights fan in minny
all that size crash the net give talbot a couple a bumps
milk carton
67 is changing his name to Max Scratch-a-retty
EK
Pacioretty not playing again. I’m sick of that liar DeBoer. I would like to know if #67 is being held out by medial personnel or if this is his decision. It’s the GD playoffs!
LVsc
VGK totally embarrassing themselves in period 1, except for one guy. Fleury came to play in these 2 games, too bad no one else did.
and they said they were going to play fast? hell, they are trying to get eliminated fast, is what they are doing.
shameful lack of effort in the first period
knights fan in minny
UGLY PERIOD
LVsc
the VGK redeemed themselves in the last 2 periods. They finally decided to join Fleury in the winner’s circle, and give him some goal support
Tuch, when you go to the net you are tough to stop