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Smith the hero in OT as Vegas Golden Knights take Game 2

By Andrew Steele-Davis

Reilly Smith #19 of the Vegas Golden Knights scores the game-winning goal at 7:13 of overtime against the Chicago Blackhawks to win the game 4-3 in Game Two of the Western Conference First Round during the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images)
Reilly Smith #19 of the Vegas Golden Knights scores the game-winning goal at 7:13 of overtime against the Chicago Blackhawks to win the game 4-3 in Game Two of the Western Conference First Round during the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images) /
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The Vegas Golden Knights celebrate their 4-3 overtime victory over the Chicago Blackhawks in Game Two of the Western Conference First Round during the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Vegas Golden Knights celebrate their 4-3 overtime victory over the Chicago Blackhawks in Game Two of the Western Conference First Round during the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images) /

Notes & Stats

Here are some key stats from the game…

  • SOG – CHI: 25 – VGK: 39
  • FO% – CHI: 52% – VGK: 48%
  • PP – CHI: 1/2 – VGK: 0/1
  • PIM – CHI: 2 – VGK: 4
  • HITS – CHI: 32 – VGK: 38
  • BLKS – CHI: 20 – VGK: 27
  • GVA – CHI: 12 – VGK: 18

Here was the Official Scoring Summary from the game:

  • Paul Stastny (1) – Marchessault (3), Smith (4) – 10:44 / 1st
  • Tomas Nosek (1) – Carrier (1) – 15:35 / 1st
  • Kirby Dach (1) – de Haan (1), Kane (4) – 3:17 / 2nd
  • Dominik Kubalik (4) – PPG – Kane (5), Toews (4) – 12:07 / 2nd
  • Mark Stone (3) – Martinez (2), Marchessault (4) – 17:20 / 2nd
  • Dylan Strome (2) – Kane (6), DeBrincat (4) – 19:46 / 2nd
  • Reilly Smith (3) – Stastny (1), Cousins (4) – 7:13 / OT
Nick Holden #22 of the Vegas Golden Knights hits Matthew Highmore #36 of the Chicago Blackhawks into the boards
Nick Holden #22 of the Vegas Golden Knights hits Matthew Highmore #36 of the Chicago Blackhawks into the boards during the third period in Game Two of the Western Conference First Round during the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images) /

Let’s go over some notes from Game 2:

  • The Vegas Golden Knights now lead 2-0 in the series and Games 3 & 4 will be part of a back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday.
  • It will be a huge weekend for the Golden Knights who could close out the series but, as we saw in the second period, Chicago won’t lie down easily and this series isn’t over just yet.
  • Robin Lehner stopped 22 of the 25 shots he faced and he’s now 7-0-0 since being acquired by the Golden Knights at the NHL Trade Deadline.
  • It has been 161 days since Vegas’ last loss, which is just incredible. Can they be stopped this year?!
  • Max Pacioretty was declared “Unfit to Play” moments before puck drop in Game 2, while Tomas Nosek didn’t return after tangling with Jonathan Toews at the end of the second period. The Golden Knights will be hoping that both players are able to return soon, or the Taxi Squad will be coming into use.
  • We mentioned in our Keys to the Game that keeping Patrick Kane quiet would be huge, but the superstar really came alive in this game. He had three assists for three points and was all over the ice, logging 24:06 minutes of total ice time.
  • With a back-to-back over the weekend, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Marc-Andre Fleury got a start, maybe in Game 3.
  • Reilly Smith is playing at an MVP level right now and the forward had another two-point night, including the OT winner. Smith now leads the Golden Knights in Stanley Cup points with seven (3 G, 4 A).
  • Speaking of Smith, want to know a cool stat? Since being traded by the Florida Panthers in 2017, Smith has eight Playoff goals while the Panthers have just seven as a team. Just incredible.
  • Nick Cousins and Nicolas Roy were massive in the buildup to Smith’s OT winner, and the Golden Knights really are getting contributions from up and down the lineup.
  • Paul Stastny, who has been part of that monster second-line with Smith and Jonathan Marchessault, recorded his first points of the postseason with a goal and an assist, including the primary helper on Smith’s winner in OT.
  • Tomas Nosek lit the lamp for the first time in the Playoffs this year thanks to a dish from William Carrier, but Nosek later left the game after tangling with Jonathan Toews.
  • Marchessault had another two point night with two helpers, while Mark Stone recorded his fourth goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and his first of this series.
  • The Golden Knights are as close as you can get to a perfect hockey team in the way they are constructed, and they are playing at the peak of their powers right now.
  • However, how they approach the back-to-back this weekend will go a long way to deciding how quickly this series is determined.
  • Kirby Dach recorded his first postseason goal and I really like this player, he’s a ready-made replacement for Jonathan Toews.
  • Alec Martinez, who tallied a primary helper on Mark Stone’s goal, is going to be huge for the Golden Knights with his wealth of postseason experience and he led all Vegas skaters in total ice time with 26:50.
  • Vegas again outshot the Hawks 39-25 but they lost out in the faceoff battle 52%-48%, and that is an area they will need to improve in.
  • Another area of concern is the power play. Although they only had one opportunity, the Golden Knights went 0/1 on the man advantage and they have yet to record a PP goal this series. That will need to change.
  • The Official Three Stars of the Game were: 1. Reilly Smith 2. Jonathan Marchessault 3. Patrick Kane.

Let’s look at our Three Stars of the Game…

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