If you've been watching the College Football Playoff this year, you've probably seen some uncompetitive games. These games have been blowouts, except for Texas defeating Arizona State in double overtime at the Peach Bowl, 39-31. It's an incredible disservice to sports fans, especially when it's just the Big Ten and SEC winning all the time. Gotta love the modern sports landscape, eh?
Luckily, Vegas Golden Knights fans don't have to listen to Disney broadcasters gush over an SEC playoff team in a blowout. Instead, they can enjoy closer games that leave them on the edge of their seats. Even better, the Golden Knights have the best points percentage entering Thursday (.716).
However, a historically pesky opponent arrives at T-Mobile Arena on that day. The Philadelphia Flyers come to Las Vegas and are wrapping up a six-game West Coast swing. They're entrenched in a deep battle for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, battling teams like the Ottawa Senators (40 points), Pittsburgh Penguins (39 points), and Columbus Blue Jackets (38 points).
Fans should expect a hungry Flyers team to bring a competitive game, even if they're facing playoff teams in the next four games. Should Golden Knights fans be concerned about Travis Sanheim and company? Will Jack Eichel steal the game like he did on November 25? Let's see whether this game will be more exciting than a College Football Playoff game.
Predicting the Vegas Golden Knights and Philadelphia Flyers
On Tuesday, the Vegas Golden Knights fell victim to a forecheck-heavy Montreal Canadiens team. They gave the puck away 23 times, leading to opportune goals by players like Cole Caufield. Remember the Canadiens are 31st in team shots on goal with 927, making this even more shocking.
Compare that to the Philadelphia Flyers, who are more structured in their offensive game. They've taken 1,042 shots on goal as a team, 20th in the NHL. Granted, that doesn't stand out much compared to the Golden Knights (1,129, sixth in the NHL). However, fans should notice this trend, specifically if John Tortorella turns up the forecheck himself.
Fans should also watch for Travis Sanheim. The defenseman is a pesky player, denying zone entries and employs nice offensive skills to boot. The 28-year-old has six goals and 15 assists this season. However, he also has a defensive side that makes him pesky.
That includes 84 blocked shots and 28 takeaways, making him tough on the forecheck. So how should Jack Eichel and company attack him? That starts with keeping him in the offensive zone. The transition game comes into play here, where the Golden Knights can catch the Flyers off-guard. If they can create scoring opportunities and impose their own forecheck, they will keep the Flyers on their toes.
The Golden Knights must also bounce back and forget Tuesday's dud against the Montreal Canadiens. That means sticking to their game plan and dominating all three zones. This will be the perfect game to do so, even if the Flyers continue their historically pesky ways. Therefore, expect a game more exciting than any of the College Football Playoff contests. The Golden Knights should prevail in overtime over the Flyers, 4-3.