Last night’s 2-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets was needed more than you realize. Two Knights, Reilly Smith and Marc-Andre Fleury, played key roles in assuring this win for a team that is in somewhat of a fragile state of mind. Blowing 2-goal leads in back-to-back home games can cause a case of uncertainty, which can and will lead to this fragile state of mind.
So fragile that even Coach Gallant sent a message to myself and the other media people who cover this team in a post-practice presser last week, by suggesting that we take it easy on Deryk Engelland. He said Engelland is a valuable asset to this team, especially on the penalty kill, which is ranked 2nd among all 31 teams.
As tough as it is, since you build up a relationship with the home team, getting to know the players on and off the ice, you have to report your observations about the team and their performance good or bad. It’s no secret that the defensemen, looking at them as a unit of 6, not including Nate Schmidt, have struggled. It’s not a secret to anyone, especially to the coaching staff. Gallant knew that Engelland was struggling. His Corsi numbers are at the bottom of all defensemen for all 31 teams. So the healthy scratch last night should not come as a surprise; neither should Coach Gallant coming to his defense, as he should protect his players. A coach is only as good as his players and players excel when they play within the system the coaching staff has put together.
Well, even Gallant couldn’t follow his own suggestion to us, as Engelland was a healthy scratch for the first time this season. The 37-year-old defenseman was replaced by 20-year-old rookie Nicolas Hague, who was called up from the Chicago Wolves, along with Nicolas Roy, both of whom were on the ice against the Blue Jackets. Roy centered the 4th line for Reaves and Carrier, while Tomas Nosek was moved up to the 3rd line to replace the injured Alex Tuch. Hague looked comfortable in Engelland’s spot and his long stick is an asset in breaking up plays.
Tuch’s absence is hard not to notice, as the 3rd line last night was nowhere to be found and that includes Cody Glass, who usually has some sort of impact when he’s on the ice.
The penalty-killing unit without Engelland last night killed off all 4 of the CBJ power plays and wound up scoring a shorthanded goal by Reilly Smith, which turned out to be the league-leading 5th shorthanded goal scored by Vegas in just 16 games. Reilly also added an even-strength goal, his 9th of the season and the most goals scored on the team. It was the 15th 2-goal game in his career.
Fleury’s 29 saves on the 30 shots he faced was the other key element in the VGK victory last night to get their 4-game road trip off to a good start. Fleury has a record of 5-0 on the road this season. It should be noted that the defense for the VGK looked good and helped Fleury out more than once in clearing loose pucks from the front of the net. The defense also kept the CBJ to the outside and away from high-scoring areas. Seemed like old times — if 2 years and a few games is considered old times.
Fleury looked sharp with no signs of a lack of energy from the flu. Seeing how sharp Fleury is when rested is when we fully realize the importance of Malcolm Subban to this team’s long-term success this season. If Malcolm can perform like he did vs. Montreal, even in defeat, it’ll be a huge step for a deep run.
The CBJ have surrendered 4 shorthanded goals in their first 15 games and have now lost 5 games in a row, including their last 3 home games, when they were outscored 9-2. Playing against the CBJ in the first game of what will not be an easy 4-game road trip may have been the best thing for the VGK since your mom’s chicken soup that she made for you when you were sick and unable to go to school.
The CBJ lost key players after last season to free agency (Artemi Panari, who scored 28 goals and had 87 points in 79 games played, and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who in the last 3 seasons with the CBJ had 115 wins). That’s a lot of firepower and goaltending to lose at the same time. The CBJ are currently the youngest team in the league. They have plenty of cap space available now after losing both of these players if they choose to try to improve their team through trades or free-agent shopping come July 2020.
Back to the VGK, this a team that claims to have 23 captains and has gone 2-plus seasons without one. They have many strong leaders among them, but Jonathan Marchessault clearly speaks for his team and is never afraid to be honest and blunt about their performances.
If you listened to Marchessault’s post-game remarks following the Montreal game on Saturday, he is a wealth of information if you’re searching to see where the mindset of the players is. He basically said, “We’re being told by others around the league that we’re a good team, but based on our recent performances, are we?”
Trust me, the players hear these words, just like they hear Coach Gallant’s words. We as the media are used as a conduit to get these words back and forth. Marchy wears his heart and shows his emotions of this team in plain sight for all to see. He would be a great captain, but there’s a pecking order in hockey and for that reason he may not get it.
Fleury would seem likely choice, but it’s very rare for a goaltender to be named a captain. The last was Roberto Luongo.
On September 30, 2008, prior to the start of the 2008–09 season, Vancouver Canucks’ general manager Mike Gillis and head coach Alain Vigneault named Luongo the 12th captain in team history, replacing the departed Markus Näslund. The decision was unconventional, as league rules forbid goaltenders from being captains.
Prior to this rule about goaltenders being captains, there were a few. In NHL history, there have been six goaltenders who served as official team captains, among them John Ross Roach (Toronto St. Patricks), 1924–25 season; George Hainsworth (Montreal Canadiens), 1932–33 season; Bill Durnan (Montreal Canadiens), latter half of 1947–48 season.
So as much as all of Las Vegas would love to see the Flower be the first captain on the VGK, that will not happen. The likely choices, and they’re based on leadership, character, tenure, and respect from fellow teammates, will be either Mark Stone or Max Pacioretty who was the captain of the Montreal Canadiens. Marchy would be a good captain, but I just don’t see that happening. But with George McPhee around, there may never be a captain named. Deryk Engelland is often looked at as the unofficial captain, but as he nears the end of his playing days, that will prevent that from coming to reality.
My 3 Stars of the Game: Reilly Smith (2G, including a shorthanded goal), the Flower (29 saves on 30 shots), William Karlsson (assisted on both of Smith’s goals and has 7 points in his current 5-game point streak, 3G 4A).
Next game is Thursday vs. Toronto at 4 p.m.
Your comments and opinions are welcome here at Las Vegas Advisor or you may contact me directly at [email protected] or visit my Facebook page or the Facebook page of Vegas Hockey Guy.
Here are links to two game highlights.
Never miss another post
Comment received from Grant Kapteyn
In regards to this article, Holden was the key player in the short handed goal by bringing the puck out when he saw an opening and making the pass to the forward instead if just clearing the puck of the zone. He also had 2 important goals, one against Chicago and the other against Ottawa that allowed VGK to win the games.
Grant Kapteyn yes Holden has been good lately key plays and timely goals.
I mentioned Smith and Fleury because they both have been the steadiest players for VGK so far this season
Comment received from Rita Homan
Seems to me you find a way to make every good thing about the knights bad. Shark’s fan?
Not at Rita but I do try to give my honest opinion about the VGK.
Joe P