This team needs a lot of help if they intend to make any noise in the playoffs. Their current play is inconsistent, their power play is as bad as it could possibly be. They’re currently 0-18 on the power play, 2nd longest drought in their history. Last night the power play went 0-4. They were playing a team in a complete free fall and they let them get back on their feet with 2 first-period goals in their 3-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues.
To make matters worse, unlike Monday night where Robin Lehner held the Blues at bay early in the first period until Vegas got going, that was not the case last night. For the 3rd time this season, the opposition scored a goal in the first minute of the game and for the 5th time, the opposing team scored on their very first shot.
The VGK once again had to play the game with one less skater. Alec Martinez was missing his first game as a VGK and because of the salary-cap gymnastics that this team has been playing since January 14th they had only 5 defensemen. It showed, especially on the first goal of the game as Nic Hague waved his stick at Viadimir Tarasenko. Tarasenko just blew by Hague straight down the middle of the ice and fired the puck past Fleury for the early lead. What Hague was doing so close to the boards is beyond me. If someone is going to beat you, let him beat you going wide, not down the middle of the ice between the faceoff dots. This angle gives the shooter more options to beat the goaltender. If you force the shooter toward the boards, his options are limited. Tarasenko had another clean breakaway minutes later on Fleury, who this time made a glove save that prevented a complete first period blowout.
The first period ended with the Blues ahead 2-0 when Sammy Blais scored at the 7:21 mark of the first on just the 5th shot of the game for St. Louis.
With only 5 skaters on defense, Pietrangelo logged an incredible 31 minutes of ice time. Theodore had 30:42
The 2 first-period goals were all that St. Louis needed to break their losing streak. Vegas had been averaging 5 goals a game against the Blues this year, but could manage one meaningless goal by Nicolas Roy with just 4:16 left in the game. Even with a late power play and Fleury pulled for an extra skater creating a 6 on 4, the power play came up empty once again.
Four days from now is the NHL trade deadline and I’ll be completely shocked if the VGK as you know them today is the same VGK that takes the ice against the L.A. Kings on Monday in Los Angeles.
Jordan Binnington made 50 saves on 51 VGK shots, the most shots an opposing teams goaltender has faced from the VGK. Fleury stopped 32 of the 35 shots he faced.
My 3 Stars of the Game
1) Jordan Binnington (50 saves on 51 shots, which included 10 saves on 10 power-play shots)
2) Sammy Blais (1G, the GWG)
3) Craig Berube (head coach of St. Louis, who pretty much undressed his team publicly after their Monday night performance. He embarrassed them and they responded.)
Next game is tomorrow vs. Arizona at T-Mobile at 7 p.m. Pacific Time.
If you want to hear and see more VGK content please check out the podcast I do with Eddie Rivkin on YouTube it’s called Hockey Nights in Vegas. Here is a link to our previous podcast.
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
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.
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Ed Williams sent this comment in
They still pass up way too many good scoring chances trying to make the impossible Gretzky pass soot the damn puck and see what happens. There could be a juicy rebound. A puck can bounce in off a defender. A goalie can let in a softie. Like Gretzky said–“You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take”…
Ed Williams you are spot on with this take on their problems.
Joe P.
Jimmy Mccollom wrote to Ed
Ed Williams not the redwings of the 90’s with the Russian 5
I couldn’t agree more with this assessment Joe. The top six are currently in a slide, although I expect that to resolve. What I don’t expect to happen this year is to get out of the cap restrictions. I don’t care who says what publicly, I cannot believe it doesn’t affect our performance. Especially when you lose your top shot blocker and a guy who is at the top of his game right now. Also, Coghlan, Kolesar, Glass, Roy, Whitecloud, Brown, Hague, all still finding their way around the NHL game. Too many less experienced faces in my opinion. And turnovers, OMG I can’t believe how they hang Flower out to dry game after game. And of course last of all, special teams. I don’t know if it’s a coaching issue or what, but not only 0-18 recently we are 2 for 36 on the road I believe. I love this team and they are good, but I’m not sure if last year wasn’t our best look at the Cup.
Robby Norman sent this comment in
So many times in the last few games I’m like here goes a shot and then they try & pass it and the pass never connects/gets blocked/or is out of position. Missed chance #57. Also, so many turnovers, either from bad passes or just bad stick handling.
Robby
Especially on the power play they are overthinking it. This was a specific topic we discussed on the podcast which you can access on the link near the bottom of this article.
Joe P
Kevin Logan ask this question
About sums it up, trade deadline Monday, what’s your thought on any changes as far as trades?
Kevin I’m not sure what they will do but I believe if they are in on trying to win the cup this year they will have to move a body/contract or two. My guess is Reilly Smith is traded
Joe P.
Joe, awesome article. Spot on. Couldn’t have put it any better. Succinct and to the point! I’m also thinking Smith goes… Shame. He couldn’t be more unproductive at a worse time.
Judy Billman Grech sent this comment in
Moving one player, no matter who, will not make this team a Cup finalist. I am loyal but honest and I live in the real world not a fantasy world. The Stanley Cup can’t be bought it is won with courage, talent and above all TEAM SPIRIT.
Jonathan Buhay had this question
Question, in case I missed it. The other battle, Martinez got a goal but the assist went to Pacioretty instead of Glass. I thought it started with Glass, then Stone then Martinez with a goal.
Jonathan Buhay I re-watched the first Martinez goal and Glass did touch the puck first behind the net and sent it out front to Pacioretty who then sent it to Stone so when Martinez took the pass at the blueline from Stone that eliminated Glass getting a secondary assist.
Joe P.
Jonathan Buhay responded
Joe Pane Ok thanks.
Charlie Anzalone had this to say
No power play, Colorado going the Stanley Cup
Ed Williams added this
In today’s NHL, with all the soccer-type penalty calls, you need a good power play. It can be a game changer. Especially at playoff time..