You’ve waited for 31 games for the USA line of Pacioretty and Tuch, centered by Stastny, to finally have all three of them healthy enough to play together. Yesterday, we were treated to GM George McPhee’s vision, once he decided that letting James Neal and David Perron leave via free agency was better for the team long-term — better on the defensive side of the puck, while not suffering a dropoff on the offensive side of the puck. Not to mention traversing the salary-cap issues that have strangled teams who spend spend spend spend with no vision for the future like the Chicago Blackhawks now and in the near future the Edmonton Oilers, who have very little room for the future after the massive contract they gave Conner McDavid.
In yesterday’s 4-3 OT win over the NY Rangers, it was a game that featured two amazing goaltenders who have been at the top of their game for many years and both put on a show for the ages. Lundqvist stole the show as far as the lead role goes, facing 41 shots, many that were grade-A chances from the VGK. He personally denied fellow countryman William Karlsson on his three shots on goal that all could have and should have found the back of the net. One of the saves on Karlsson was a mirror image of the save Braden Holtby made on Alex Tuch in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, diving across to cover an open net and using the paddle of his stick to deny Karlsson.
Fleury, as we all know, shines game after game and yesterday he was playing in his 31st of the season. He also put on a goaltending clinic, facing 30 shots. I’m not sure when he’ll get a much-deserved night off, but with the Pacific Division being what it is, every game is crucial. The VGK dropped back from third to fifth place after the gut-wrenching loss to NJ on Friday night. Yesterday Calgary won, to go to 46 points, along with a San Jose win that brings them to 41 points and puts them in a two-way tie for second place with Anaheim to stay ahead of Vegas, which moved into fourth place ahead of Edmonton, playing Vancouver as I write this post.
The first shift for team USA didn’t start very well when fellow American Nate Schmidt, who had pinched in along the left wall, was caught out of position. Kevin Hayes chipped the puck past him up to Pavel Buchnevich, who broke in with Brady Skjei on a 2-on-1 with only Brayden McNabb back. The Rangers made him pay for that as Skjei had a virtual open net with Fleury committed to his left facing Buchnevich. It was the only lead the Rangers had for the remaining 58:47 of regulation and 2:11 of overtime. All four USA players were on the ice for the opening goal. Not the start that GM McPhee had envisioned.
Tuch, Pacioretty, and Schmidt were all born in the U.S. Stastny was born in Canada, to a mother with American citizenship, so Stastny and his brother Yan have dual Canadian/U.S. citizenship.
Both Paul and Yan have chosen to play internationally for the United States. Among the reasons that led Paul to choose to play for the United States was the possibility to play in an international competition with his brother, who had chosen to play for the United States before Paul. Paul represented the U.S. for the first time in the 2004 Viking Cup, where he won a silver medal playing for the junior team. According to Hockey’s Future, he was one of the most important American talents in the tournament.
Henrik Lundqvist was born and raised in Are, Sweden, and only came to the U.S. to play for the NY Rangers. Yesterday he almost single-handed shut down the entire VGK team, but the USA line was not to be denied in its inaugural appearance for the VGK. The USA line combined for 5 points, with 2 goals and 3 assists. Stastny’s goal, which regained the lead for Vegas at 2-1, was assisted by both Tuch and Pacioretty. Tuch’s overtime goal was set up by Stastny. Tuch simply out-waited Lundqvist and his skates were actually behind the goal line when he fired the puck past Lundqvist for the game winner. It was Tuch’s fifth game-winning goal and his 12th of the season, which puts him one behind team-leading scorer William Karlsson who was robbed multiple times by his fellow countryman.
In a road trip where they really only played one complete game (yesterday’s), they’ve somehow managed to scoop up 5 out of potential 6 points. In the scrambled-egg Pacific Division, these are an important 5 points as all the teams above them continue to win night after night.
With the current logjam of healthy forwards, Coach Gallant is now faced with difficult choices about who plays. Yesterday Ryan Reaves was a healthy scratch and Oscar Lindberg, who has had a hot hand of late, took Reaves’ spot on the 4th line. Oscar took Pacioretty’s spot on the 2nd line on Friday night. Gallant, who doesn’t like to change things up after a win, will have to make a choice about scratching Reaves and Engelland once again in Columbus tonight. Merrill played in Engelland’s absence last night and was a +2.
With a win tonight against Columbus, it would put a stamp on this road trip that had the signs of blowing up, with a not-so-pretty game vs. the Islanders and blowing a 3-goal lead twice against NJ. Yesterday was a good day for the VGK who got the wheels back on the bus as they roll into Columbus.
My 3 Stars of the Game: Henrik Lundqvist (an amazing performance in the OT loss), Alex Tuch (GWG and 1 assist), Paul Stastny (1 goal, 1 assist on the GWG)
The next game is tonight vs. Columbus at 4 p.m. Pacific Time
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Here are the videos from yesterday’s post-game:
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