Scoring seven goals and five assists in 12 games will get you noticed. Braeden Bowman got the promotion from the Henderson Silver Knights to the Vegas Golden Knights, making his debut on Thursday against the New York Islanders. Believe it or not, not many people expected it.
It doesn't matter if it's the writers (hello, party of one), government officials, or podcasters. Bowman slipped under more people's radars than they would like to admit. But that's not a bad thing, you know. Sometimes, you need the most pleasant surprises to kick you in the rear. That way, you can finally get going.
But here's the thing. The former Guelph Storm superstar made his debut against the New York Islanders. Long Island's resident team is one of the quieter teams in the NHL, entering Thursday's contest with a record of 8-6-2. Certainly, that isn't too much of a problem, right?
Well... the Golden Knights almost pulled off an incredible comeback, falling short in overtime, 4-3. It was a valiant effort by the lower lines, namely Reilly Smith. Even Shea Theodore scored for the Golden Knights. Sadly, it wasn't meant to be.
But let's focus on the rookie who has everyone's attention, since there are some positives. How did he do in his debut against the Islanders? Was he everything the Golden Knights wanted and more? Let's grade the newest Golden Knights star and see how he did!
How did Braeden Bowman do in his Golden Knights debut against the New York Islanders?
Let's be honest here. Some factors were going to be challenging for the Silver Knights' rookie. One, Ilya Sorokin was in net for the Islanders. The Russian netminder is one of the league's better goaltenders with a career GAA of 2.59 and a save percentage of .915 entering Thursday. Obviously, the job wasn't going to be easy on Thursday night.
The Islanders also play a slow, boring style. The objective is to slow down the pace and lull the opponent to sleep. Part of that comes from Sorokin's presence, where he slows the pace down with his game.
However, Bowman held his own and was aggressive throughout the night. The rookie had two shots in the first period and four overall, providing the most offense for a Golden Knights team lacking in a win. One can say that he was the proverbial sparkplug that Vegas needed in the past couple of weeks.
Right now, the Golden Knights could use anything for their anemic offense. They haven't been able to figure out their opponents' defensive structures lately, leaving them with more questions than answers. Unfortunately, Vegas lost in overtime and fans are worried.
Still, Bowman is exactly what the doctor ordered for that anemic offense. He's not afraid to shoot the puck and attack the net, providing a breath of fresh air. The rookie showed that throughout the game, doing something that not many Golden Knights wanted to do. Maybe they can learn something from the rookie for a change.