Let me be honest with you, dear reader. I didn't expect the Vegas Golden Knights to get off to an excellent start against the Colorado Avalanche. I thought that Game 1 was going to be frustrating with the offensive weapons that Colorado had (yes, even without Cale Makar).
But that didn't matter as the Golden Knights doubled up the Avalanche, 4-2. Vegas got goals in the most bizarre places, namely from Nic Dowd and Dylan Coghlan. Yes, you saw the other two goals come from unsurprising places, i.e., Brett Howden and Pavel Dorofeyev. Still, that didn't matter as the Golden Knights stole home-ice advantage.
Something like that.
While it's nice to get four goals against a solid Avalanche team, there's much more that the Golden Knights can do. After all, you must strive for better things in life. That way, you can achieve your goals (such as winning the Stanley Cup *wink* *wink*).
Let's start by looking at one advantage that Vegas had over Colorado in Game 1. Believe it or not, it helped Carter Hart stay upright and kept the Avalanche off the board until the third period. This little strategy involves keeping them out of a certain section.
The Golden Knights must close off the neutral zone against the Colorado Avalanche
Fans could tell that there was visible frustration amongst the Colorado Avalanche players. They saw players like Brock Nelson throw out expletives (and Nathan MacKinnon since that's all he does, of course), showcasing an array of negative emotions. What was the root cause, you ask?
Well, Colorado had trouble entering its offensive zone. The boards were closed off, yet the middle of the ice couldn't be reached. That meant no sucecssful entries between Game 1's start and the third period.
Yes, it might be hard to believe. However, it helped Carter Hart stay afloat for most of Wednesday's game. Take away the high-danger chances and life becomes much easier. Mind you, Colorado was sixth in this category during the regular season (704).
How the Vegas Golden Knights stymied the Colorado Avalanche offense in Game 1
When you're facing a fast-moving team like the Colorado Avalanche (second in team speed during the regular season with an average of 24.78 MPH), you're looking to close off as many avenues as possible. Teams like Edmonton and Colorado can get the inside track to said high-danger chances, punishing you with a relentless attack.
But that wasn't a problem with the Golden Knights in Game 1. They had two stellar, defensive-minded centers in Nic Dowd and William Karlsson, who took this area away. Both centers are adept at taking away space with active sticks, deterring Colorado from blitzing Hart. The result? No Nathan MacKinnon goals or Martin Necas goals.
Of course, there was a third-period breakdown that nearly happened. The Avalanche almost broke the dam with an aggressive forecheck in the third period. They employed a tactic of going wide and putting Hart's back against the wall. Thankfully for Vegas, its goaltender held serve (for the most part) and won Game 1.
Thus, fans should look for Dowd and Karlsson to continue their defensive ways in Game 2. Life could be easier for the Golden Knights if there's no Cale Makar, providing some reprieve for the underdogs. As they say (I guess)...
"Control the zones, control the game."
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