The Vegas Golden Knights almost salvaged a disappointing four-game road trip with an overtime win on Tuesday. They took the game to overtime, thanks to Pavel Dorofeyev putting on his cape and turning into Superman. Alas, it wasn't meant to be as the Montreal Canadiens won at the Bell Centre, 3-2. Be sure to thank Jake Evans for the overtime goal (I guess?).
But that goes back to a broader point: the four-game road trip is finally over. That's right, dear reader. No jet lag for a month and you get to rest (well, most Golden Knights will sleep) until the Olympic break ends.
Hallelujah because the latest road trip showed some glaring problems in the team. Fans have forgotten about Vegas's prior seven-game winning streak and are talking about whether Adin Hill is a viable starter. Man, how things can quickly change at the drop of a hat, eh?
So, let's be brutally honest about this absolute stinker of a trip. Very little went right for the Golden Knights on the East Coast and a whole lot went wrong. It's time to give a "fair" assessment of everything that happened in Vegas's four games.
What I liked about the Vegas Golden Knights on the road trip
Well...
...At least they were standing on business in the Toronto Maple Leafs game. I mean, players like Mark Stone, Jack Eichel, and Keegan Kolesar scored goals. That was the depth scoring flex that the Golden Knights needed.
But I also loved how the team played with sheer determination in that game. Like, they did everything they could to win for Marner, attacking Toronto at every turn. Why can't they have that mentality every game?
What I didn't like about the road trip
Everything else. I wasn't a huge fan of Vegas digging themselves into deep holes against the Boston Bruins and the Ottawa Senators. One game saw a comeback that was "too little, too late," while the other was, well, disastrous. This has been a persistent problem for the Golden Knights all season, where they've struggled to get going early.
Also, I didn't like the Golden Knihgts power play during the road trip. Yeah, I know, it's surprising to say. However, you can't score one goal in 10 power play opportunities and expect to win. Teams are starting to figure out how to neutralize the unit by clogging the bumper and other lanes. This happened quite a bit in the four games against the Golden Knights.
Finally, the defense and the goaltending were abysmal. Sure, there were some unfortunate bounces and the puck was bouncing as poorly as an unfortunate leprauchan. However, you can't leave opponents on a breakaway or odd-man rushes constantly and you can't let soft goals in. The back end and the goaltending (specifically with Adin Hill) must be better.
Grading the Vegas Golden Knights' latest East Coast trip
Normally, I'm particularly kind to the Golden Knights. They've done enough immaculate work throughout the years to earn the benefit of the doubt. However, this recent trip wasn't the case.
These aren't the Golden Knights that fans are accustomed to seeing. They've struggled to finish on plays and haven't gotten solid goaltending and defense. Maybe it's the injuries that are hampering the team? Perhaps certain players are shaking off the rust. Who knows?
Only one game was great for the Golden Knights on the road trip. That would be Friday's contest against the Toronto Maple Leafs, where they doubled up Mitch Marner's former team. Other than that, it was a combination of holes dug too deep, mental errors and unfortunate bounces.
In turn, the trip turned what was an unorthodox January with loads of successes into a taste of old times. Now, the Golden Knights have one more tough game to round out the month: the Dallas Stars. That's right, dear reader. Life isn't getting any easier.
With that comes a valuable lesson: make quick fixes. It doesn't matter if it comes in the form of practicing or working on mechanics. You want to go out strong before the Olympic break comes around. Otherwise, you're in trouble.