By the headline, you’d be correct in assuming that the VGK had a good night at T-Mobile against the Edmonton Oilers.
But that didn’t happen. The VGK self-imploded in the last 2 minutes and 10 seconds of the first period, allowing Edmonton to score twice on their last 2 shots of the period. Robin Lehner had stopped the first 14 Edmonton shots in the first 17:50, but when the horn sounded, Edmonton was leading 2-0 on 16 shots. Edmonton went on to win the game by a score of 3-2.
Neither Connor McDavid nor Leon Draisaitl had anything to do with the 2 goals and were completely shut down for the evening. Draisaitl is the leading scorer in the NHL (40 points: 20 G and 20 A) in just 20 games. McDavid is tied for 2nd place in scoring with Ovechkin; Connor has 36 points to start the season (14 G and 22 A). Last night was the first time this season that they both were held without a point in the same game.
The story that most hockey fans believe is that Edmonton can win only when McDavid and Draisaitl contribute to their offense. Edmonton allegedly lacks any depth beyond the top 6 forwards and the defense and goaltending are suspect. Last night, that theory blew up right in the face of the VGK who played well and were focused in the first part of the first period, but turnovers led directly to the first 2 Edmonton goals.
A pass from Max Pacioretty intended for Mark Stone was picked off and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was off on a 2-on-1 with only McNabb back. Nugent-Hopkins beat Lehner to his stick side, banging it in off of the far post, for the 1-0 lead.
With the clock winding down to end the first period, Mark Stone lost the puck along the left-wing boards in the Edmonton defensive end to a stick check by Cody Ceci, who pushed it up to Zach Kassian. Kassian found Zach Hyman streaking through the neutral zone. Stone made a gallant effort to track down Hyman and forced him to his backhand, a low-percentage shot. But it beat Lehner over his right shoulder for the late-period goal that was a big boost for Edmonton going into the locker room up 2-0.
Vegas has had slow starts in first periods this season, but last night was not the case. It was just a dreadful last 2:10 of the first period. They’ve also had mounted multiple comebacks from 2-goal deficits this season, but not last night. Edmonton put Vegas into a bigger hole than they’re used to by scoring on yet another breakaway, when Jesse Puljujarvi scored 6:39 into the 2nd period.
Vegas gallantly tried to get back into it. Chandler Stephenson scored 9:10 into the 2nd period for his 3rd goal in the last 3 games. Reilly Smith’s goal in the 3rd period cut it to 3-2, but that was as close as Vegas could get, as the Oilers’ often-questioned goaltending of the past was a distant memory. Mikko Koskinen was outstanding, stopping 36 of 38 shots.
I lost count on Edomonton’s breakaways and odd-man rushes. I ran out of fingers. You don’t often see it against the VGK, but it was on full display last night. The often-maligned Oiler defense, even without two of their top defensemen in Duncan Keith and Darnell Nurse, played well. Kris Russell had an Alec Martinez kind of night, blocking a game-high 6 shots.
Edmonton is a good transition team and last night that was clearly evident, not only to the VGK, but also the 18,381 in attendance at T-Mobile.
Vegas has now lost 2 of their 4 games with Edmonton. If they have any hopes of passing them in the Pacific Division, winning the remaining two will be critical. Both will be played in Edmonton on Jan 14 and April 16.
The only bright spot in the game was the penalty kill. The Oilers have the #1 power play unit in the league with a success rate of 39%, scoring 23 PPG in their first 20 games. Vegas held them scoreless in their 2 power plays. By comparison, the VGK have the worst power play in the league, scoring a grand total of 5 PPGs in their 22 games.
Vegas was 0-1 last night, but on that power play in the first period Vegas had the puck in the Edmonton end for 1:50 of the 2 minutes. They moved the puck around with precision and skill and had 2 glorious scoring chances, only to be denied by Koskinen. It was the best power play I’ve seen all season from the VGK, even though they didn’t score.
Other game notes and quotes. Kris Russell had six blocked shots to become the NHL’s all-time leader, with 2,003 blocked shots in 890 games, surpassing former Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook (1,998). The NHL began tracking blocked shots in 2005-06.
“In the history of the game, nobody has blocked more shots than that,” Edmonton Coach Dave Tippett said. “If everyone knew how much that hurts … It’s incredible.”
The Oilers’ 15 wins through 20 games are the most they’ve had since 1983-84 (16-3 with one tie). They Edmonton the Stanley Cup that year.
“I loved our start,” Peter DeBoer said. “The first 12 minutes of the game we played exactly the way we wanted to play. We forechecked, we were direct, we didn’t turn pucks over. The last eight minutes of that first period, we did some of the things we didn’t want to do, which was take penalties, put them on the power play, and turn pucks over. It’s that simple.”
“They’re an opportunistic team and a team that you can’t give that many chances to, so we kind of shot ourselves in the foot with that,” Chandler Stephenson said. “It just needs to be better.”
“Not a lot of teams have kept those guys off the score sheet,” Reilly Smith said. “There’s more to that team than just two players. The three or four breakaways that we gave up, that’s what cost us.”
Even though it doesn’t seem like it, DeBoer coached in his 99th regular-season game with the Golden Knights. He is 67-28-4 since Vegas hired him Jan. 15, 2020.
My 3 Stars of the Game: Mikko Koskinen (36 saves on 38 shots), Jesse Puljujarvi (1G, the GWG, making it 3-0 and a hill that VGK couldn’t climb over), Reilly Smith (1G and 7 SOG and he continues to be a force every game, either making a case for the VGK to offer him a new contract next season or as some in the press box think just increasing his trade value)
Next game is Wednesday vs. Anaheim at the Honda Center, 7 p.m. Pacific Time
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.
Hyman goal that made it 2-0
Stephenson’s 8th of the year and 3rd goal in 3 games
Puljujarvi’s GWG
Smith goal that made it 3-2
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Bryan Sandrock sent this opinion/comment in
The VGK should have and easily could have won that game. We MUST convert our chances, we must get some help from the GT (2 out of 3 breakaway goals made-ugh), we need to rethink the “yield ice” strategy our defensemen use when the opposing team is on the 2 on 1 breakaway meaning I think we need to attack the one player and force the opposing team into a clear one on one much earlier, the GT needs to understand that he can help as opposed to sit in his crease on the breakaway… meaning I think if he helps stone by coming out of his net that goal is definitely not scored. We need to start heavy forechecking again and heavy hitting… finish plays with hits, intentionally don’t play the puck in a corner and hit someone, we need to get people into the front of the net area so that passes get played instead of harmlessly glide to the opposite boards, and we need to work on intentional slap shot deflections (shoot to side of the net and deflect into goal)-quit just slapping from 80’ straight at the goal. These are what u see as the little things that could really help us. That said, I think we played well and our nearly 2 min o-zone power play showed the value of keeping the puck j on their side for the whole time because I think the Edmonton short handed attempt at the end failed primarily because the guy was out of gas. What say you Joe? Any wisdom in these observations?
Bryan Sandrock
i also concur in your opinion on the Edmonton’s second goal which was off of a backhanded shot. That puck should have never beaten Lehner. But we do know he sits back in his net and doesn’t like to come out to cut the angle down. He believes his size allows him to do this with success. Their power play was impressive. They had the puck for almost the entire 2 minutes in the Edmonton zone crisp passes and puck movement. they ran into a “HOT” goaltender last night who has been playing well as of late which is not the norm for Edmonton. They have gone thru goaltenders like fat kids go thru candy 🙂
Joe P.
Shawn Field wrote
But lost the game…. 🤦
Shawn Field yep exactly my point.
It’s a team game and just shutting down 1 or 2 players is not enough especially If you are going to turn the puck over and allow odd man rushes. Edmonton had at least 6 last night.
Joe P.
Hey Joe!
I reilly like your use of former VGK coach Gerard in your game recap.😉
Kris Russell is 5` 10″ and weights in at 170. Blocking shots with his size is like the bumblebee witch is too big for it´s best. It shouldn´t be able to fly but it defies physical rules.
When Russell hangs up his skates for the last time he´s a marked man.
There are breakaways against Vegas in almost every game. They are often caused by giveaways, turnovers or bad changes.
When Vegas gets a breakaway it´s often a set up play from the D-zone or the N-zone between Pietrangelo, Stone and Stevenson.
It´s the speed of Stevenson that´s crucial if it´s gonna work or not. It´s not often it´s a turnover or a giveaway by the other team.
Back in the days Tuch took the puck in the D-zone and tried to go by himself, or by a get and go, through the entire opponent team.
But that´s a breakthrough not a breakaway.
It looks like many teams in the league have scouted the high risk plays in the O-zone Vegas is prone to do.
There are costly fumbles at Vegas blue line or in the N-zone when the whole team is going on attack. That leads too often to a breakaway or odd man rushes.
Then it´s up to Lehner to prevent a goal. Sometimes he looks like a beer league goalie standing up with almost no balance when the shooter scores. Other times he looks like Vasilevskiy! He playes a long way in the net. Is Lehner a computer-age online goalie?😉🤨
The VGK have no player with the instincts to score in any way possible in front of the goal as Joe Pavelski has or Tomas Holmstrom had.
There´s no Steven Stamkos to feed in the left faceoff circle. No team can stop him from scoring despite that they know how Tampa play on PP.
When Vegas PP unit with Pietrangelo is a QB the opposing team is playing a more positional style to hold him outside their box.
With Theodore as a QB the opposing team play an aggressive style as they know he makes mistakes. It´s a risk worth taking if they can score a shorthanded goal.
Vegas needs a player in front of the goal on PP who can take the physical punishment and tip in a goal every now and then.
Patchy on the right side and Marchy on the left side are good shooters but passing the puck through the PK-box doesn´t work.
Look at Tampa how they use Hedman alone at the blueline feeding the wingers, mostly Stamkos, outside the PK-box.
I think Pietrangelo could do the same thing. Martinez is a possible alternative. Theodore isn´t my man there.
When Eichel is back on ice he will be the QB on PP. I almost forgot him.
In Buffalo he fed Dahlin, Olofsson and Reinhart with pucks to score on both on PP and even strenght.
At that time Vegas have to adjust the the team to reach the Cap-hit.
Joe and some of you are better than me to do the math and who´s going to be sacrificed.