3 takeaways from the Vegas Golden Knights Rookie Faceoff against the Seattle Kraken
The Vegas Golden Knights had an offensive explosion in their second Rookie Faceoff victory over the Seattle Kraken. Here are three takeaways.
The first Rookie Faceoff game was a defensive matchup, where the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Los Angeles Kings, 2-0. It consisted of goals by Braeden Bowman and Jakub Brabenec, with the power play looking better. But Sunday's game was a stark contrast to the blue-line dominated play seen by hockey fans.
Instead, they were treated to a 5-3 contest in favor of the Golden Knights. Their adversary was the Seattle Kraken, favoring a fellow team recently entering the NHL. For hockey fans who love offense, amazing puck movement, and chaos, this was the game for them. Offense was common throughout the contest, leaving the fans in awe of the solid puck movement and control.
It's a promising sign for fans watching the prospect challenge, considering they're worried about the team's long-term offensive output. You start looking for younger replacements when you lose a franchise leader in almost every historical category. In turn, those new forwards should make fans forget about the legend, giving them hope for a prolonged competitive window.
At least, that's the hope. Golden Knights fans only care about the logo on the jersey front, whether it's the star center or the forward. Yes, it might seem like a harsh reality regarding loyalty (see Marc-Andre Fleury). However, it's how Kelly McCrimmon and crew won their first Stanley Cup.
Getting players committed to winning will yield wonderful results, especially if your goal is to contend for a Stanley Cup every season. Yesterday's Rookie Faceoff game against the Seattle Kraken proved this with an offensive onslaught. Here are three takeaways from yesterday's match.
The Vegas Golden Knights rookies can figure out ways to win
Friday's game against the Los Angeles Kings showed the Vegas Golden Knights prospects can win a defensive contest. Behind Jesper Vikman and Carl Lindbom's combined shutout, they could handle business if goals were at a premium. Sunday proved they can also tackle a shootout.
The Golden Knights jumped to a four-goal lead with goals coming from prospects such as Jakub Brabenec and Villam Kmec, putting them in a comfortable position. Even as Seattle started a comeback, it was too late. Vegas put the game out of reach with a Matyas Sapovaliv empty net goal, giving them the victory.
If the Golden Knights rookie can handle any situation put in front of them, it'll make the future brighter. They can tackle any scenario without hesitation, whether it's a shootout or a dry spell game. That should bode well for the team's future mentality-wise. Speaking of the team's future...
Braedan Bowman and Jakub Brabenec continue to impress
The lone goal-scorers from Friday's victory also contributed solid goals in the 5-3 victory, making them the difference-makers once again. Braedan Bowman and Jakub Brabenec put the Vegas Golden Knights up early with impressive goals, giving them a much-needed offensive spark.
Bowman's goal was a simple feed, with Tuomas Uronen skating to the back of the net. He finds his fellow forward for a scoring opportunity in front, where Bowman finishes the job. As for Brabenec, he fired another wrister for a goal, which has become his de facto shot.
another day, another rookie game, another Braeden Bowman goal 👏 pic.twitter.com/xGqI0RqRob
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) September 15, 2024
As both rookies find more confidence with their shots and playmaking abilities, it helps their development and gives the Golden Knights more reliable prospects. Sunday's showing is proof of this, with both forwards taking another step towards eventually making the main roster.
Don't let the opponent back in the game
After gaining a four-goal lead, the Vegas Golden Knights got comfortable. That led to the Seattle Kraken making things interesting, pulling within a goal. Being relaxed doesn't bode well for any team, especially if you're looking to gain two points. That's a harsh lesson the Golden Knights prospects learned at the Rookie Faceoff, where they nearly squandered the lead.
Luckily, the team held their own and locked down the Kraken late. That led to a Sapovaliv empty net goal, which got Vegas the victory. Ironically, it was a similar position in ways, for the prospects were faced with preserving a late lead. It's part of learning how to band together and prevent any late goals from slipping by.
The moral of the story? Don't ever get too comfortable. The Golden Knights jumped out to a 6-1 lead in Game 5 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Final. They overwhelmed the Florida Panthers with a goal onslaught, with Mark Stone eventually capping a clinching 9-3 victory with a hat trick. Golden Knights prospects should watch this game with earnest and see how the veterans preserved the victory.
feed