Last night there was a power outage that played an instrumental role in the VGK 4-2 loss to the Dallas Stars, the hottest team in the NHL. The Stars have now won 7 games in a row to tie a franchise record that goes back to March 16-28, 1980, when the team was located in Minnesota and called the North Stars. The Dallas Stars also won 7 games in a row January 29-February 11, 2008. These are 2 teams going in opposite directions, as Vegas, is in the midst of a funk.
The power outage I speak of is the Stars power play scoring 2 goals in 3 chances, while the VGK were 0-4 on their power-play chances and even had a 5-on-3 for a brief 18 seconds. With last night’s loss, the VGK record is 11-11-4. This is the first time in their entire existence that the VGK have not had a winning record. Let that sink in for a moment.
Max Pacioretty, who isn’t shy about getting shots on opposing goaltenders as he leads the entire team with 100 shots on goal, didn’t record a single shot on net last night until there was 1:46 left in the game, with Malcolm Subban pulled for an extra skater. That’s how bad the power outage was. Marchessault has 88, Stone has 66, Karlsson 61, and Smith 60 shots on goal 26 games into the season.
The Dallas Stars had only 2 shots on goal in the 2nd period as they were busy killing off the 4 penalties or 40% of the 20 minutes that they were shorthanded for. But Dallas made good on those 2 shots by scoring a goal on one of them. The last time Vegas gave up 2 PPG in a game this season was back on 10/21 vs. Philadelphia in a 6-2 loss. The 2 shots on goal were the fewest allowed this season. Back on 11/10, they allowed Detroit only 3 shots on goal in a period and they also lost that game by a score of 3-2.
Last night, Subban was playing in his 6th game and has yet to secure a win. He has lost 2 games in OT for his 0-4-2 record and for this team to get back on track, it starts from the blue line back to the goal line.
The defense is adding some offense to a team that has all of a sudden stopped scoring, especially in games that are close. Shea Theodore scored his 3rd goal of the season and his 2nd in 2 games; Nate Schmidt has 2 G and 6 A in just 13 games, actually 14 before he was injured very early in the season opener. The other 4 defensemen have 4 goals total in their 89 combined games. Goals from defensemen are important for the success of a team.
Only 2 forwards have goals in double digits: Mark Stone (10) and Reilly Smith (10). Smith hasn’t scored in 8 games after scoring 9 goals in his first 16 games. Stone went 7 games without a goal before scoring the 5th goal of a 6-0 win over Calgary. Last night a goal from Stone was needed, as the VGK twice came back from 2-goal deficits, 2-0 and 3-1, only to see Alexandar Radulov score a power-play goal with just 7:49 left in the game to re-establish a 2-goal lead at 4-2. Subban stopped the initial shot, but gave up a fortuitous rebound that Radulov scooped up and beat Subban with a backhand that Subban would probably like to have back.
With Subban pulled for the extra skater, the VGK tried to cut the lead and needed 2 goals to get it to OT. But Ben Bishop stood tall, denying Max Pacioretty 3 times in the last 1:46 of the game.
There’s just one more game before Thanksgiving and there’s a trend in the NHL that is not an exact science, but it seems to hold true more than it doesn’t. That is, teams in playoff spots come Thanksgiving Day are usually in a playoff spot after 82 games. Currently, the VGK are one point out of the last wild-card spot, trailing the San Jose Sharks and the Sharks have 1 game in hand. Vegas only has 1 game left with the Sharks this season and that’s on Dec. 22 at San Jose. So they’ll need some outside help, unless they go on an extended winning streak. They’ve won only 2 games in a row 4 different times so far this season and have lost 10 of their last 13 games.
My 3 Stars of the Game: Alexandar Radulov (2 goals, including a PPG), John Klingberg (3 assist), Paul Stastny (1 G and 6 shots on goal; Stastny was reunited with Stone and Pacioretty and that seemed to help him on the offensive side of the game)
Next game is tomorrow evening at Nashville at 5 p.m. Pacific Time.
Your comments and opinions are welcome here at Las Vegas Advisor or you can contact me directly at[email protected]or you can visit my Facebook Page or the Facebook Page of Vegas Hockey Guy
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Comment received from Chris Yannotti
While i am not a fan of the whole thanksgiving logic i do think that it may be true this year…but not because its thanksgiving, because unless something on the drastic side happens we are not going to make the playoffs regardless if we squeak into a playoff spot come thursday or not.
Comment submitted by Christine Balz
You definitely nailed that!! Come on Knights, lets wake up!!! We need that chip on the shoulder attitude again!! LOL
Comment received from Vegas Golden Knights Fan Club Events & Forum
It’s like when Subban is in net they lose confidence. They must think, oh crap here we go again with the five hole man. Check the past game videos. Subban gives up so many goals in the five hole. The other teams watch videos and know it’s his weak spot.
Eddie Rivkin was late to the dance and he didn’t make the deadline but here is his take on last nights game
https://1drv.ms/w/s!BPb-lcV0IAfHknPJrEf5vOLk_cMl…
The VGK fan club guy is right! U can shoot hoops in Subban’s 5 slot. Last night a big case in point!