Las Vegas Golden Knights - Contenders or Pretenders?

[theaardvark]

The Jets did not play a good game, yet they easily handled the well rested Knights.  The Knights looked like an expansion team out there tonight.

We will clinch in Game 5 here at home.

[PloenFan]

Fleury had a rough first period, but settled down after that.
Perhaps we shouldn't underestimate Vegas.
Our boys need to keep their foot on the gas and not take anything for granted.

[New_Earth_Mud]

The Jets did not play a good game, yet they easily handled the well rested Knights.  The Knights looked like an expansion team out there tonight.

We will clinch in Game 5 here at home.

What?

[theaardvark]

What?

What what? 

They won, but they could have played a lot better... they missed a lot of open net chances, Wheeler skating past MAF and then sliding the puck across the crease on what should have been an easy goal. Too many times players had a loose puck and MAF out or position / on the ice. 

Just winning might be good for some, but most of us want them to play their best, every game.  Last night was not their best by a long shot. 

[Pigskin]

I think we played very well considering. We only had one day of rest and had to travel home to boot. The Jet's looked tired in the second period.

[New_Earth_Mud]

What what? 

They won, but they could have played a lot better... they missed a lot of open net chances, Wheeler skating past MAF and then sliding the puck across the crease on what should have been an easy goal. Too many times players had a loose puck and MAF out or position / on the ice. 

Just winning might be good for some, but most of us want them to play their best, every game.  Last night was not their best by a long shot. 

Its hockey and its the playoffs. They just finished off 7 games with the best team in the NHL and had one day to rest.

If you dont have to play balls out then you dont.

[theaardvark]

Its hockey and its the playoffs. They just finished off 7 games with the best team in the NHL and had one day to rest.

If you dont have to play balls out then you dont.

Ummm.. yes you do.  You take your foot off the gas and you get hurt.  You always play full out.



Gotta love Maurice...

Paul Maurice to Patrik Laine: "You got to f***ing move your feet, kid." *Laine shoots and scores* Maurice: "Or do that."

https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/995725085372661760

[Colton]

Ummm.. yes you do.  You take your foot off the gas and you get hurt.  You always play full out.



Gotta love Maurice...

Paul Maurice to Patrik Laine: "You got to f***ing move your feet, kid." *Laine shoots and scores* Maurice: "Or do that."

https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/995725085372661760

Playing defensive hockey isn't taking your foot off the gas. Last night was one of their best games since game 2 vs the Wild. They would be hard pressed to play better than they just did.

Maurice also wasn't talking to Laine in that clip

[New_Earth_Mud]

Ummm.. yes you do.  You take your foot off the gas and you get hurt.  You always play full out.



Gotta love Maurice...

Paul Maurice to Patrik Laine: "You got to f***ing move your feet, kid." *Laine shoots and scores* Maurice: "Or do that."

https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/995725085372661760

No you dont. After a long hard 7 games with 1 day rest and facing a team with a different style of play and  you get up 3 you dont keep playing full out.

You shut it down and play a defence mode.

[PloenFan]

Watching the first game against Vegas, I wasn't as scared of scoring chances from their defencemen as in the Nashville series.

After comparing Nashville's and Vegas' regular season it looks as if Vegas' defencemen may not be as big of scoring threats as Nashville's:

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0014122018.html
Nashville's defencemen scored 56 goals in the regular season
Top defenceman goals: Subban 16, Josi 14, Ekholm 10

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0077762018.html
Vegas' defencemen scored 37 goals in the regular season
Top defenceman goals: Miller 10, Theodore 6, Schmidt, Engelland, McNabb 5

[New_Earth_Mud]

Watching the first game against Vegas, I wasn't as scared of scoring chances from their defencemen as in the Nashville series.

After comparing Nashville's and Vegas' regular season it looks as if Vegas' defencemen may not be as big of scoring threats as Nashville's:

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0014122018.html
Nashville's defencemen scored 56 goals in the regular season
Top defenceman goals: Subban 16, Josi 14, Ekholm 10

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0077762018.html
Vegas' defencemen scored 37 goals in the regular season
Top defenceman goals: Miller 10, Theodore 6, Schmidt, Engelland, McNabb 5

For sure.

It will be a whole different game then we just played.

I think The Jets played a smart game last night jumping up in score and then going into a more defence mode and getting a look at what Vegas does.

To win The Cup its all about playing smart hockey.

[Pigskin]

I thought we had more mental breakdown in the 2nd game. Bad line change, pinching D when he didn't need to.

[blue_or_die]

As they were able to demonstrate last night, Vegas is:

1) Good at capitalizing on opportunities (our mistakes), and;
2) Fully capable of playing shut down hockey. Like the Preds, only with a less skilled D core BUT a more clutch goalie.

Reminded me of Games 4 and 6 against Nash- establish a lead and hang on against everything we can throw their way.

[bluengold204]

As they were able to demonstrate last night, Vegas is:

1) Good at capitalizing on opportunities (our mistakes), and;
2) Fully capable of playing shut down hockey. Like the Preds, only with a less skilled D core BUT a more clutch goalie.

Reminded me of Games 4 and 6 against Nash- establish a lead and hang on against everything we can throw their way.

hmmmm I dunno about that

[blue_or_die]

hmmmm I dunno about that

Rinne is no slouch, but I would consider him a more overall well-carried, methodical, consistent, and technical goalie vs MAF who's sort of a "wildcard" and is likely to have an atrocious game followed by one where every bounce just goes his way.