Before you look at this list, just know that Victor Olofsson is exempt from this list. He had a solid Game 2, scoring two goals and one assist. Sure, the Vegas Golden Knights lost in overtime. However, Olofsson had the type of game you'd want to see from a role player.
The same goes for Jack Eichel, who had three assists in that game. He's turned it around dramatically, scoring one goal and eight assists in his last five contests. If the Golden Knights can figure out a way to get him a goal or two, the series can be turned around in a complete 180.
All these sound good and fun. However, three players haven't pulled their weight. In fact, they've been as bad as Aaron Judge during the postseason. They've literally dropped the ball and have the Golden Knights backed into a corner. You better catch the next pop fly or you're riding the pine!
But in all seriousness, three players better turn their play around in the next few days. Otherwise, it's a premature trip poolside for the boys in gold. That's no fun, especially during those triple-digit summers. Let's chastide these three players and see what's going on.
1.) Adin Hill
Let's be honest. Watching Adin Hill play in the second round is like getting a low blow from Ric Flair during his NWA days. It's dirty and it isn't fun. How disappointing has the 28-year-old been during the second round?
He's allowed 4.04 goals per game and had a save percentage of .862 in both games. His advanced statistics tell a scarier story for the Calgary native this postseason (stats courtesy of MoneyPuck).
Name | Goals Saved Above Average | Save % Above Expected | xGAA | GAA Better Than Expected | Wins Above Replacement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adin Hill | -5.1 | -0.0101 | 2.54 | -0.62 | -0.85 |
If Adin Hill simply played like an above average goaltender during this postseason, the Vegas Golden Knights have much better fortunes. That starts by not letting in soft goals and tracking pucks better. The series isn't over yet. But a poor performance afterwards will spell doom for the 28-year-old and his team.
2.) Tomas Hertl
Tomas Hertl has been completely absent during the Oilers series. He doesn't have a single point in the last two games. That won't help a Golden Knights team that'll be involved in a literal shootout every night.
In fact, his postseason last year was underwhelming. The Prague native only had one goal in seven games against the Dallas Stars. If Vegas wants to turn its fortunes around in the series, that starts with Hertl chipping in and contributing more.
3.) Ivan Barbashev
The Russian winger has been absent like Tomas Hertl this postseason. He only has one goal and one assist in eight games this postseason. That's not winning you any playoff games anytime soon, especially since that's a far cry from his six goals and 10 assists in 2023.
How can he turn his fortunes around? Well, that starts with burying his chances. Game 1 saw the 29-year-old without a single shot that game. He had four shots in Game 2, yet he couldn't bury his chances. That must change if the Golden Knights want to have a fighting chance this series.