3. Abundance of riches
Head Coach Peter DeBoer should be the envy of every other coach involved in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
After all, what other team can claim that they have two legit elite starters at their disposal?
The Vegas Golden Knights certainly can.
With one exhibition game and three round-robin contests, DeBoer opted to split the workload between Marc-Andre Fleury and Robin Lehner.
It was a smart move in regards to keeping both goalies fresh and allowing them to shake off any rust, while also seeing if either goalie had the slight edge.
Well, both netminders looked sharp in the two games they played and Lehner certainly gave DeBoer plenty of food for thought in the win against the Avs.
The 29-year-old stopped 32 of the 35 shots he faced, with the highlight being an absolutely stunning glove stop to rob Mikko Rantanen in the first period.
He was huge when he needed to be and his big size, coupled with his ability to play deep within his crease, makes Lehner a real rare but valuable commodity in the NHL.
And Lehner’s strong outing against Colorado should only be seen as a huge positive heading into Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Because, while Fleury is expected to be named the starter against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Golden Knights at least know that they can turn to Lehner at any given moment and not miss a beat.
And, after being traded by the Blackhawks to Vegas at the Trade Deadline, expect Robin Lehner to play with a real chip on his shoulder against his former team should he be given the chance.
And that is only good news for the Vegas Golden Knights who have the luxury of drawing up a masterplan for the Stanley Cup Playoffs with two elite goalies at their disposal.