Vegas Golden Knights: Three Keys to beating Canucks in Game 3

Key 3. Tighten up

Robin Lehner wasn’t unable to steal Game 2 but he was also left to hang out to dry by his defense.

They were all over the place.

Defensive breakdowns have been a problem throughout the postseason and it could be the one fatal flaw that prevents the Golden Knights from lifting the Stanley Cup this year.

Especially if they come up against an offensive juggernaut in the ilk of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final.

But it could also be a major problem in this series and it certainly was in Game 2, with the Canucks feasting on a lethal combination of turnovers and sloppy play in the defensive zone.

Just look at some of the goals the Golden Knights allowed.

Alec Martinez followed the puck rather than the play and left Tyler Toffoli all on his own, leading to the Canucks getting on the board early.

Bo Horvat then scored on the power play after a play was made from behind the net, and Horvat’s second goal of the game came after a complete switch off from the Golden Knights in their own zone.

Whether you are the superior team or not, you can’t play sloppy defense and expect to come out on top in a best-of-seven series.

That’s especially the case when you are coming up against a Vancouver team loaded with firepower and players who can really impact a game.

As a result, the Vegas Golden Knights will need to tighten things up and protect their goalie a lot more in Game 3 if they want to go up 2-1 in this series.

Because even going down a game to a young team brimming with confidence could be playing with fire.