The VGK are in a dog fight in the Pacific Division. They need every point they can find as they embark on this crucial part of the season that will determine their playoff future.
Last night if you were a VGK fan, you weren’t sure what to expect at T-Mobile when they faced off against the Colorado Avalanche, arguably one of the hottest teams in the NHL, considering the stinker they played 24 hours earlier against Arizona, the worst team in the league. What the 18,333 saw was a VGK team that was able to respond in a way that is encouraging, despite the result of the 3-2 come-from-behind win for Colorado, using a mere 26 seconds in the 3rd period to ruin a strong performance by the VGK, especially in the neutral zone.
Many hockey fans believe games are won and lost from the blue line down to the goal line, which accounts for 150 feet of the 200-foot length of the ice. But the importance of the 50 feet that encompass the area between both blue lines that is separated by the center ice red line is just as important.
Last night the VGK dominated that portion of the ice that Colorado uses to perfection on most nights in generating their offense, using their speed to force teams to back up, which creates gaps between the puck- carrying player and the defenders.
That didn’t happen last night as Vegas was stepping up in the neutral zone, picking off passes, getting in the way, and frustrating the Avs as they attempted to move the puck through the neutral zone. Scoring opportunities for the most part are created in the offensive zone, but entry into the zone is what really creates them.
The VGK used this portion of the ice in scoring their first goal. Chandler Stephenson took a perfect pass from Jack Eichel in the 50 feet, catching the Avs flat-footed. Chandler beat Kuemper just 4:07 into the first period for the 1-0 lead. Things were looking up for the VGK despite Colorado responding with their own goal just 3:03 after Stephenson’s goal.
Jonathan Marchessault, who may be the smallest player on the VGK roster, but plays with the biggest heart and determination, especially with Mark Stone still missing from the lineup, took a cross-ice pass from Reilly Smith just 1:21 later to reestablish the 1-goal lead.
The VGK held the high-flying offense of Colorado to just 6 shots on Laurent Brossoit in the first period, while Vegas had the better of the play and flow, sending 15 shots on Darcy Kuemper.
The 2 teams played a scoreless 2nd period and we were headed into the 3rd period with Vegas leading 2-1. Vegas has been a dominating team with a 3rd period lead, losing only one game this season. The game plan of clogging up the neutral zone was working wonders, resulting in holding Nathan MacKinnon to zero shots on goal for the first 40 minutes which is a feat in itself. If you doubt this opinion, in Colorado’s last game against Winnipeg on Friday night, MacKinnon had 14 shots on goal in their come-from-behind 6-3 win. But keeping a world-class player like MacKinnon not only off the scoresheet but to zero shots is not an easy task.
Colorado got a fortuitous bounce 5:40 into the 3rd period that tied the game up at 2-2. Jake Jackson’s shot from the blue line hit JT Compher in the stomach and bounced into the net past Brossoit. It was a deflating goal for the VGK, who saw their 45:40 of a solid performance now probably coming down to the next goal winning the game, considering the defensive play that both teams were exhibiting.
Did Compher’s lucky goal create a moment that would cause the VGK to lose their focus? Moments after the ensuing faceoff, William Karlsson had his pocket picked by Cale Makar just inside the blue line of the VGK offensive zone. Makar used his speed to create a gap between himself and Brayden McNabb, then found Nathan MacKinnon streaking into the zone down the left wing, with all of his speed that he created with the free neutral zone ice. MacKinnon, who hadn’t taken a shot through 46 minutes of play, took the cross-ice pass and fired a rocket that beat Brossoit over his blocker for the devastating 2nd Colorado goal in just 26 seconds. A complete gem of an effort by the VGK went up in smoke and 2 very important points disappeared.
Vegas held Colorado to just 3 shots on goal in the 3rd period, but still paid a heavy price for 26 seconds of a game that is 3,600 seconds long. It doesn’t seem fair, but that’s how quickly things can change. The silver lining, if any, is that Vegas had a huge response from their lackluster performance 24 hours earlier and it bodes well for them, even if right now it stings.
Other game notes and quotes.
“This is kind of how it’s going for us, we fall asleep for a couple of minutes and we lose the game there,” Marchessault said. “They score one goal and the next shift is important, and it’s kind of a breakout play and they cash in again. They have some of the best players in the world out there and they’re the best team. This is the adversity we’re facing, and we better get out of it.”
“We left it out there. That’s exactly how we want to play, going into the third with the lead,” Coach DeBoer said. “We gave them three shots in the third and they scored two. We did a lot of really good things, except win. It’s that fine line and when you’re playing one of the elite teams, you have to do everything right.”
“We’ve had [adversity] all year with injuries and whatnot,” Brayden McNabb said. “We’ve handled it well in the past and we’re in it again, and we just have to get back to basics. We played a good game, we had chances, and we have to bear down. They get a chance and they put it in the net. It’s frustrating, but you put your work boots on, make sure your compete is there, and things will fall into place.”
The Golden Knights played without forwards Max Pacioretty and Mattias Janmark, who were each injured in the loss to the Coyotes on Friday.
My 3 Stars of the Game: Nathan Mackinnon (GWG on his only shot of the game), Darcy Kuemper (stopped 34 of 36 shots for a .944 save percentage), Jonathan Marchessault (1G and continues to be the straw that stirs the drink for the VGK)
Next Game is Tuesday March 1 vs. San Jose at 7 P.M. at T-Mobile
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
For more VGK content, check out the Hockey Knights in Vegas Podcast that can be found at this link or on my Facebook page.
One other note: If you’re reading this blog from Facebook or Twitter and would like to access it earlier in the morning before I share it on social media, it’s usually published by 8 a.m. the morning after a game on LasVegasAdvisor.com. What better way is there to enjoy your morning coffee than reading my take on last night’s VGK game.
Stephenson’s opening goal
Marchessault goal off a pretty pass from Smith
JT Compher’s goal that bounced in off of his stomach
MacKinnon GWG
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Drew Thrasher wrote this
At least they didn’t have a repeat performance
Mike Guido added this to the conversation
They always play Colorado well. They are all healed up. We have been injured since game two. So, I will say this: the NHL better be ready when we are at full strength. We will be coming back with a vengeance. Mackinnon should have never played! He should have been already suspended. Video doesn’t lie. Colorado vans can make up whatever excuse he did what he did twice. True older Colorado fans I spoke to last night said he should not have played! He intended to hit Nolan Patrick and he intended to hit the ref after losing the face off.
Rudy Garcia answered my question
Hell No! While most other teams (including the HABS) are going upwards. We are getting worse, after a long layoff resting. Couldn’t beat the Worse, Or best team. No Chemistry, No Heart, And Give up 3rd periods
Hey Joe.
Thank`s for the recap.
On TV you can`t see the whole rink. As I love to pay attention to details, sometimes the producer chooses to have a close up picture when the VGK player passes the puck up the ice from the D-zone. The same goes for a let out pass from the Avs zone. Therefore the viewers can`t see if the N-zone is clogged up or not.
What we can see is the players Spott chooses to play on the PP.
It`s a crying shame that players like Dadonov, Roy and Kolesar can be on the first PP.
Eichel and Pietrangelo are left alone with players that hadn`t been on the fifth PP of Colorado.
Today the game of hockey is built on speed and skill. That is clear for every team except for the VGK.
If or when the puck gets to the blueline, the shooter misses the net more than often.
The commentators on TV should have a pre programmed frase that said “and he missed the net”, that will give their voices a good rest.
Eichel played with some fire last night (no I don`t think of the color of his hair) but I don`t agree with the commentators that his assist to the Stephenson goal was fantastic. It was just what you can demand of a player in the NHL these days.
With better teammates he can show everyone how good he is.
The skill set of the Vegas players is below par in the league. A lot of their goals are scored on breakaways after turnovers or two on one counter attacks.
The play in the O-zone is very static. Basically it`s the player with the puck who moves and the other four players only moves a few meters. The cycle game takes place behind the opponents goal. A lot of energy is wasted on being stuck behind the goalline in the O-zone.
If there is a Vegas player in front of the opponents goal he stays beside the goalie hoping to put in the rebound.
He should be standing in front of the goalie facing him. He can`t be afraid to being shot at because the missing-the-net-rate is pretty high.
Do they train this at practise?
If not they should give Homer Holmstrom a call. His play in front the goal is timeless.
Did you notice what happened at the timeout at the end of the game?
At the most important moment of the game, Steve Spott, not DeBoer, was surrounded by Eichel, Pietrangelo, Theodore, Dadonov, Roy and Kolesar. That`s not the creme de la creme among the top scoring Vegas players.
And it can`t send messages of fear into the Colorado players.
At the Avs bench it was Bednar who gave the players directions how to play towards the end of the game.
That sent a signal to everybody who is in charge of the team.
You can say that DeBoer have trust in Spott, but the statistics of the PP says Spott can`t be trusted to steer the ship when it matters the most.
Pacioretty is injured now and then and Stone have a back problem that looks to be hard to solve.
I had the same kind of neck surgery in 2016 as Eichel had, plus a lower back surgery in 2019. So believe me, if Stone have tried many different treatments to get pain free, he wont get back in play this season.
Yes, I know I`m picky but this is not a beer-league, it`s the f-ing National Hockey League!
Kenneth
Kolesar on the 1st Power Play unit is a head scratcher. The only reason I can come up with is that he may be the only player willing to go stand in front of the net. Sad if this is the truth. Actually, in the last few minutes of the game there was a few stoppages in play that allowed for the teams to gather near or around the bench, Colorado’s entire team was at the bench listening to their head coach while the VGK players were skating around nowhere near the bench until the final meeting that Spott held and not DeBoer.
Joe P.
Dave Barnhill wrote this opinion
I think you’re spot on with your analysis of this one!
Linda Ganz sent this comment in
I felt good about this performance of vgk🥅⛸👌
Vickie Webb wrote this
Much better game last night! We haven’t had a complete team since I believe the 3rd game of the season, so it is hard to build a true line mentality. Yes, we really need to get it together and put together a win streak but when you don’t know who is going to show up it’s an uphill battle.
Vickie Webb and it appears we may go the entire season without a full team.
Joe P.
Richard Santomauro sent this comment in to Vegas Hockey Guy
You have to wonder if DeBoer gave the team a change in strategy coming out in the 3rd period. All game long they looked to be in a 1-3-1 formation. Coming out in the third it looked like a 1-1-3 playing “not to lose”, which of course they did. Defending the neutral zone was working all night long, why shift to defend your own blue line up only 1 goal?
Vegas Hockey Guy
Richard Santomauro it was sad to see a respectable effort of the VGK come apart at the seams in just 26 seconds.
Joe P.
Richard Santomauro, great info for us who are watching the game on TV.
As we can`t see the entire rink at the same time it`s a good observation you share with us.
I think your comments after the games comes from a good hockey knowledge.
I wish there would be more comments with more context from other readers than you or me.
I`m a bit too much sometimes, I know. But I like to start conversations or a give-and-go between the readers.
I know Joe is happy to see people react to his recaps. They are great to read as I`m from Sweden and can`t get in the middle of it.
I used to love standing or sitting in the audience at games here in Sweden. Even if there is a lot of noice at the Fortress it`s far from how it can be here.
Can you believe it if I say that the people in Sweden are singing at hockey games?
It`s only when people are watching hockey or soccer that happens!
Do you know 1-3-1 was a system made in the 90`s by a coach in Sweden? His name is Lasse Falk and turned SHL to a bag of players in the neutral zone. It nearly killed the interrest of hockey in Sweden. At least it took away my love for the game for a while.
Keep on posting comments!
Edward Watrus sent this comment in
Maybe, but not these games. The team can’t finish.
Joseph Wooten asked
So, at what point to the VGK look for a new head coach?
Glenn Siegel answered
Maybe they get a new medical/training staff first
Brian Zawid answered
Much easier to blame the coach then some of the players. Let the season play out!!!!
Joseph
They are not changing coaches this late in the season.
Joe P
Joseph Wooten responded to my comment
Joe Pane not talking about this Season
Michael Laythorpe wrote
I thought all their problems were solved with Eichel? It’s not the coaches fault he can’t play. Maybe some of the bandwagon fans needs to accept the team can’t win every game.