The Pacific Northwest Has Been Berry Berry Good to the VGK

Chico Escuela was a fictional baseball player from the Dominican Republic. Portrayed by Garrett Morris on “Saturday Night Live.” Chico spoke only limited and halting English, so the joke centered on him responding to almost any question with his catch phrase: “Baseball … been berry berry good … to me.” 

Well, the Pacific Northwest has been berry berry good to the VGK, as they completed this three-game road trip needing to stay relevant in their pursuit of what may be the last and only playoff spot that will be available to them come April 29^th, given that it seems that both the Edmonton Oilers and the LA Kings do nothing but pick up points in almost every game they’ve played recently. So maybe one of the two wild card spots will be their destiny.

If that’s how they qualify, it will pit them against either Colorado or Calgary in the first round. As tall a task as that may seem, trust me when I tell you that a full and healthy VGK roster come May will be a nightmare for either of those teams that sit on top of their divisions in the West. Especially after Calgary coach Darryl Sutter was quoted saying “it’s going to be a waste of eight days” in reference to the possible matchups. Sutter was implying that not one of the teams advancing to the playoffs via the wild card has a chance. That my friends is perfect bulletin board material for the VGK locker room. Colorado knows this already after its exit last year in six games vs. the VGK after winning the first two on its home ice. 

Vegas completed this road trip by gaining the last of the 6 points that were available with a 3-2 overtime win over the pesky Vancouver Canucks, which overcame a two-goal deficit with the tying goal being scored without ever touching the puck. This can happen in hockey, but it’s rare. When a player puts a puck into his own net, the last player to touch it from the opposing team gets credit for the goal. It’s pretty simple to figure out who to give the goal to you would think. But what do you do when no one from the scoring team touches the puck, as happened this time when goal was scored off a faceoff won cleanly by William Karlsson? The faceoff took place to the right of Robin Lehner, who was making his first appearance for the VGK since March 8^th after missing the last 12 games. It was an important faceoff, as two VGK players were in the penalty box with two seconds left on a two-man advantage. Karlsson drew the puck back as he should to allow the two seconds of the first penalty to expire, but he won it so cleanly that it headed back hard toward Lehner. Alec Martinez, in a natural reaction, reached with his stick to gain control of the puck as Lehner went down on his knee in case Martinez missed it. Problem was, Martinez didn’t miss it, but he also didn’t get all of it, which slightly changed the puck’s direction and it slid in what seemed like slow motion between Robin’s pads, tying a game that was being dominated by the VGK. 

If Vegas were to lose this game the ramifications would have been huge. When the team left Vegas, it was 6 points or bust. So, entering the third period up by 2 then losing was just unthinkable. But you had Shea Theodore, who prior to this road trip had seemingly forgotten where the net was, scoring the overtime winner, his third goal in the last three games with two of them being game winners. Talk about rising to the occasion. 

Theodore’s overtime winner was his first regular-season goal against the Canucks in his career. Shea grew up in Aldergrove, B.C., roughly 45 minutes from Rogers Arena, and his parents have been on the three-game road trip with him. It may not be a case of home cooking, but more about the importance of family. Keep in mind that all NHL players’ families have made ultimate sacrifices in family time, travel, and expenses to help in their sons’ development to reach this elite level of playing in the NHL. Shea’s performance on this road trip has to be rewarding, not only for Shea and the team, but for his family as well. 

If only Vegas could play Vancouver and Seattle in their last 11 games of this season – Vegas owns a record of 10-0-2 against Vancouver and 4-0-0 against Seattle – you could print your playoff tickets now. But they do get to play Vancouver two more times over the next nine days, first this Wednesday at T-Mobile. Then, in a quirky schedule situation, they return right back to Vancouver on Tuesday April 12^th. 

In a rare move, Pete DeBoer gave the team two days off on this three-game road trip that spanned five days. They didn’t skate on Thursday between the two Seattle games or on Saturday in Vancouver before yesterday’s game. It paid huge dividends, as the team had a lot of jump in the legs, especially in the first period where it had the first 10 shots on Thatcher Demko to only one shot on Robin Lehner. Vegas scored the first two goals of the game on just 11 shots, a lead that held up until the third period. In the end, the better team won with the help of a berry berry good team effort and Shea Theodore playing in his own backyard. 

Other game Notes and Quotes 

Shea Theodore has scored in three straight games. 

Marchessault scored for the third straight game and extended his point streak to five games (three goals, seven assists) 

Vegas once again dressed 11 forwards and seven defensemen, with Dylan Coghlan, who saw only 3:35 of ice time, as the extra defenseman. Keegan Kolesar returned to the lineup after missing the Seattle game on Friday 

“To be honest, we did that to ourselves. They played a good game, but we gave them that,” Marchessault said. “It’s unfortunate, but I think good teams at this time of the year find a way to win hockey games, and that’s what we did.” 

“We need two points every night,” said Vegas forward Chandler Stephenson. “Just got to stay calm and collected and have the confidence you’re going to win a game. … It’s a playoff mindset for the rest of the year and from here on out.” 

“He played great,” Theodore said of Lehner. “Real solid in his first game back and just shows what kind of goalie he is.” 

My 3 Stars of the Game 

1. Jonathan Marchessault (He made the Shea Theodore GWG possible by picking himself off the ice when he fell down all by himself after losing an edge by the half wall. He got up, protected the puck, and broke out of the zone down the left wing. Then with precision, slid the puck over to Theodore, who joined the rush coming down to the left of Demko. Theodore actually had two swipes of the puck before beating Demko. Jonathan also had the second VGK goal on a wicked snap shot for the VGK’s 2-0 lead.)
2. Shea Theodore (GWG in overtime and a three-game goal-scoring streak) 
3. Jack Eichel (He may not have scored a goal, but his play with the puck and on the backcheck are things to appreciate. He did have the primary assist on Pietrangelo’s opening goal.) 

Your comments and opinions are welcome here at Las Vegas Advisor or you may contact me directly at [email protected] or on my Facebook page or the Facebook page of Vegas Hockey Guy or on Twitter @TheRealJoePane.

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GWG by Theodore
The strange goal that tied the game
Marchessault snipes one for the 2-0 lead