People were entering T-Mobile Arena in anticipation of a Vegas Golden Knights game against the Chicago Blackhawks. Sure, Connor Bedard was the big name mentioned, as ESPN would tell you a million times. However, another name was playing in Tuesday's game: Carter Hart.
The newest Golden Knights netminder came in to alleviate the current netminder situation. Adin Hill was out of commission with a lower-body injury and is rumored to be out longer than expected. But that's not the only problem that Vegas had in net.
Akira Schmid has been good as a backup this season. However, there have been times when he's allowed soft goals, leaving fans frustrated with his performance. Then there's Carl Lindbom, who's good. However, he's also a rookie, meaning that he doesn't have much NHL experience yet.
Lo and behold, this calls for a man to come in and save the day for the Golden Knights. That's where Hart came in, providing ample experience, quickness, and intelligence. But how did he do overall on Tuesday?
Well, it was a mixture of good and bad. It's time to see how the other center of attention (although he doesn't play center) did on Tuesday night against the world-famous Bedard and the Blackhawks.
What I loved about Carter Hart's Vegas Golden Knights debut
One thing that I loved about Hart in Tuesday's game was his hockey intellect. One example was a Jack Eichel giveaway in the second period, when the netminder was left on a 2-on-1. Ilya Mikheyev deked around him, only for Hart to kick out his right pad.
The result? A potential goal was deterred and the ensuing penalty was killed off. It was the kind of play that displayed his hockey IQ, reading the oncoming attacker and making a necessary sacrifice.
Normally, this would've been a goal from the opponent, especially off the turnover. However, Hart's experience and quick thinking stopped a potential goal. Still, not everything was perfect.
What I didn't like about Hart's Golden Knights debut
Carter Hart goes out to play the puck. He tries to get aggressive and fires it to... Tyler Bertuzzi. The Blackhawks forward fires it into the open net and Chicago takes a 2-1 lead.
While Vegas challenged for offside, it was an unsuccessful challenge. Still, Steve Dangle had an infamous quote that addressed this very situation. Hmm... I wonder what that could be...
Ahh, thank you, Steve. Remind me to buy you a beer the next time I see you.
Anyways, such careless mistakes can lead to devastating moments for any team. They can swing the momentum in the other team's favor, leaving you to grasp for goals. Hart can't do that, especially if he looks to stick around.
Grading Hart's Golden Knights debut
Let's keep it 100% here. Golden Knights fans knew that there would be some form of ice rust from Hart on Tuesday. That's especially true after he allowed a bizarre second goal in the second period.
Still, he kept Vegas in the game, making key saves and thinking quickly. He wasn't going to have the quick reflexes that he's accustomed to having. Therefore, he had to rely on his wits and hockey IQ.
Look, you weren't going to expect Hart to be 100% heading into this game. No, he's not hurt. However, being out of the game for nearly two years takes time to adjust. That was the case on Tuesday night as he was still getting into a groove.
Plus, he got the win and stood strong in the shootout. Considering Vegas has struggled immensely in this regard, that's a huge boon. For a guy shaking off the ice rust, he got one of the three stars. That should be a promising sign for the Golden Knights moving forward.