Vegas Golden Knights: Three Takeaways from showdown in Columbus
It was an efficient start to the road trip for the Vegas Golden Knights as they edged out the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 at Nationwide Arena on Tuesday night.
Reilly Smith continued his impressive start to the year with a pair of his goals, while Marc-Andre Fleury once again did Marc-Andre Fleury things as the Vegas Golden Knights picked up a big W.
It was a return to winning ways for the Knights who had dropped a 4-3 Overtime decision to the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday, and adding some consistency to their game will now be the main mission going forward.
But back to the present day and it was Smith who once again possessed the Midas Touch as he potted two tucks, including a shorthanded effort in the second period.
Fleury made 29 saves from 30 shots on what was another outstanding night for the future Hall of Famer, while William Karlsson also enjoyed a two-point night with a pair of assists.
Overall, it was a solid effort from the Golden Knights who got the job done although there are tougher tasks ahead.
However, for now, let’s dive into our biggest takeaways from the Vegas Golden Knights’ 2-1 success over the Columbus Blue Jackets…
1. Smith’s Got The Golden Touch
Reilly Smith has been absolutely lethal in-front of net for the Vegas Golden Knights through 16 games this year.
After potting 19 goals in 74 games last season, Smith is just 10 tucks away from matching that total already after an explosive start to the 2019-20 regular season.
He tallied two goals against the Columbus Blue Jackets last night to take his points tally to 13 on the year (nine goals, four assists).
One of those goals was a shorthanded effort with Smith having established himself as a potent threat on the penalty kill.
The 28-year-old has three shorthanded points (two goals, one assist) and he is playing at the peak of his powers when it comes to his ability to put the puck in the net this year.
And let’s not forget Smith’s overall contribution, either. He’s a favorite of the coaching staff due to the fact that he can do a little bit of everything, and he’s developed into a real leader for this franchise.
With the way things are going, don’t be surprised if Smith carves out career-highs in a number of categories this year.
2. Karlsson Proves A Point
Few eyebrows were raised when the Vegas Golden Knights selected William Karlsson in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft.
Used mostly as a bottom six forward, Karlsson hardly set the hockey world alight during his three seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets, recording just 47 points (16 goals, 31 assists) in 165 games.
However, Karlsson has flourished in Sin City and he’s already reached the 150-point plateau in regular season games for the Golden Knights.
And, while he has returned to Nationwide Arena since being moved to the Knights, Karlsson once again showed the Blue Jackets last night why they made a mistake not protecting him in the Expansion Draft.
He tallied two assists including a sublime dish on Reilly Smith’s shorthanded goal in the second period.
Not only that but Karlsson also registered four shots on goal, had one hit, two takeaways and a plus/minus rating of +2 in 19:15 minutes of total ice time.
The 26-year-old now has 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) through 16 games and that deadly top line of Jonathan Marchessault, Karlsson and Smith has now combined for 39 points.
3. Getting It Done
One of the biggest bugaboos for the Vegas Golden Knights this year has been their inability at times to play a complete game.
It has cost them on a handful of occasions, including against the likes of the Montreal Canadiens, the Winnipeg Jets and the Colorado Avalanche to name but just a few.
Imploding during the middle period or being in a slump to start a period has reared its ugly head a few times for the Knights, and that lack of consistency and killer instinct is a concern.
However, and although it wasn’t always pretty, they knuckled down and did what they had to do in order to start this four-game road trip with a big win.
They were outshot 30-25 by a Blue Jackets team that are now without a win in their last five games, and they came under pressure for large chunks of the second and third periods.
Vegas was also outhit 19-10 and outdone in the faceoff circle (43%-57%), but they were helped by yet another sublime outing from Marc-Andre Fleury between the pipes.
Smith steps up to bring the Blue Jackets. dark. Next
Their penalty kill was also exceptional, going 4-for-4 despite PK expert Deryk Engelland being a healthy scratch, and that certainly helped the Knights to see off a plucky Columbus Blue Jackets team.
One of the main hallmarks of a contending team in the NHL is being able to grind out a game when you aren’t at your best, and that is something the Vegas Golden Knights were able to accomplish last night.