The Vegas Knights have officially played their first game of the season. After a well fought win against the Kraken, how does this game set the tone going forward?
The Vegas Knights are a remarkable franchise with a lot of talented players, and coaches. Yesterday, the Knights were able to go out and get their first win of the regular season while coming away with a lot of good to work off of. As I stated in my previous article, the Knights had a lot of key takeaways from that game, but can that set the tone for the rest of the season?
There is a lot more to it than just asking the question, especially at this point in time. The Knights just came off the win, but let’s not forget they played against an expansion team. Looking even further into that question we also need to keep in mind they still have 81 more games to play this season. However, I think we got a good look at what we can expect from them this season. So here’s what I’ll say.
Can This Game Set the Tone for the Rest of the Season?
The Knights are coming off a good win to start the season and I think there were a lot of key points-both good and bad. However, the biggest question is without a doubt: Is it sustainable?
Looking at the history of the league, it’s unfair to say that they can put up 3+ goals every game. However, with the Knights having multiple players who could be considered top tier talent, they may be able to have an average of 3+ goals per game. One of the best parts about hockey is that there are inconsistencies that allow for even the worst team in hockey to get wins. Therefore, there just isn’t enough to go off of yet. It’s a long season, but they had a very good start to the season. Here’s what I will say though.
Yesterday, the Knights were ultimately playing with just their first two lines and mixing some of the younger players in. However, despite playing the first two-lines heavily, they were able to produce and make plays all night long. Their offense was firing on all cylinders as they were able to make passes into the slot to create scoring chances, they played a strong transition game, and executed on multiple chances.
Next, let’s talk about just how good their defense was. On the other side of the puck they were phenomenal. Now giving up three goals isn’t ideal but as a whole, they had a very strong defensive showing from the forwards and defenseman. With 19 blocked shots, 10 takeaways, and 26 hits, they showed the ability to play a great offensive and defensive game in all zones.
With a strong showing in their first game, I’d say they have momentum going their way right now. However, it’s still early in the season but, if the first game represents the team we’ll get throughout the year, I’d say we are in very good shape.