Would you rather be lucky or good is a question that’s often asked among poker players.
The correct answer is both. In order to win a poker tournament these day, especially with massive fields like at the World Series of Poker, you simply can’t win a tournament based upon skill alone. You need to get lucky, and more than once, especially in a tournament that lasts multiple days.
Last night against the San Jose Sharks, the VGK proved the rule.
Once again, the team came out flying. San Jose’s first shot at goaltender Max Lagace came at the 1 minute 35 second mark. It was a clean breakaway as San Jose player Mikkel Boedker got behind three VGK players and took a stretch pass to go in alone. But Lagace made a great save. San Jose’s first shot was also its last for the next 15 15 minutes as the VGK controlled the tempo and, thus, the game .
The VGK scored two power-play goals against the number-one-ranked penalty-killing team in the entire league coming into tonight’s game. Our guys were firing on all cylinders, the part of the game in which they were good. They were also good enough to extend their lead to 4-1 in the second period.
But then they surrendered three unanswered goals by the Sharks, one of the lowest scoring teams in the NHL so far this year. Prior to tonight’s game, San Jose had scored only 50 goals in the first 20 games, an average of 2.5 goals per game. You won’t win many games by scoring less than three goals, especially this year with scoring in the NHL on the rise. The VGK’s 3.7 goals a game rank them third overall in the NHL.
You can’t give up a three-goal lead in the NHL, especially against a team that has been struggling to score. It doesn’t happen that often, but when it does, it completely changes the momentum of the game. All of a sudden, the team that’s blown it is back on their heels, or in this case their skates, and has lost control of the game. The VGK got lucky that the second period ended just being tied. This allowed them to compose themselves and regroup for the last period.
It’s rare to see four goaltenders play in the same game, but both Max Lagace and San Jose’s Martin Jones replaced. Lagace gave up four goals on 23 shots; Malcolm Subban, the reactivated second-string goalie, was on the ice for the third period and stopped all shots that he faced.
After the game, it was reported that Lagace was replaced because he wasn’t feeling well. I’m not sure if he wasn’t feeling well or it was coach Gallant who was sick to his stomach seeing his team blow a three-goal lead at home. I guess we’ll find out for sure by seeing the starting goaltender in today’s game against Arizona. I say Subban will get the start, as a goalie situation was bubbling up to the surface for the VGK. Their number-four goalie was playing well enough to keep their number-two goalie off the ice.
These kind of problems are the good kind, but one that can cause havoc among the goaltenders, who all want to play. But a coach is always hesitant to change the lineup when the team is winning. Blowing the three-goal lead might have cost Lagace his starting position, while giving Gallant the out he needed to get Subban back in the nets.
The VGK got lucky when it looked like San Jose took the lead with a third-period goal, but coach Gallant claimed that Subban was interfered with. The video replay supported the challenge and the goal was removed. That ruling kept the score tied and after 60 minutes we were headed to overtime. Gallant’s challenge actually did double-duty: It also gave his team time to compose themselves. He was potentially giving up his time out, but he won both bets while the goal was being reviewed — a fine coaching move. He earned his pay tonight.
The VGK dominated overtime and before San Jose could even register a shot, Jonathan Marchessault scored 1 minute and 21 seconds in. The celebration was delayed for a few minutes while the goal was reviewed by the officials, as the net came off its moorings. The Sharks left the ice, but the entire VGK team waited for the winning goal to be made official. The replay clearly showed the puck crossing the goal line before the net was knocked off. I guess San Jose didn’t need the replay to prove that.
With last night’s win, the VGK once again tied a century-old NHL record with an eight-game winning streak at home by an expansion team in its first year. The record was held by the Toronto Arenas in 1917-1918 season.
Malcolm Subban hadn’t played since October 21, but he didn’t seem at all rusty. He got credit for tonight’s win and his record remains perfect at 3-0-0.
William Karlsson is on fire. He’s scored 12 goals in his last 15 games and is tied for the team’s lead in goals scored with James Neal, who also scored tonight. Neal’s goal was a perfectly placed shot on the power play that found a very small area over Jones’ right shoulder.
VGK’s record at16-4-1 is amazing for an expansion team and they’re still in first place in the Western Division. They’re 9-1-0 at T-Mobile.
Of the VGK’s 21 skaters, only three have been on the ice for more goals scored against them than for them: Colin Miller is -6, Cody Eakin is -2, and Brad Hunt is -1
Goal scores from tonight’s game: Karlsson’s two brings his season total to 12; Shea Theodore recorded his first of the season; James had with his 12th; and Jonathan Marchessault’s seventh was the winning goal in overtime.
The VGK will play back-to-back games, as they face Arizona on the road today.
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