Remember that rant about Kyle Shanahan and how he could learn a thing or two about coaching from Vegas Golden Knights head coach, Bruce Cassidy? The rant was centered around Shanahan's inability to hold onto a lead or close out tight games. Granted, Cassidy has had the occasional dud of a game. However, Friday's contest against the Ottawa Senators provided the Golden Knights coach a golden opportunity to prove himself.
And, boy, did his team prove themselves. The Senators were up 4-3, entering the third period. They carried that momentum into the third period before Nick Cousins (remember him?) was called for interference on Tanner Pearson. That's when Tomas Hertl continued his hot power play streak.
"Eichel to Stone to Hertl! It's a power play goal. It ties the game!"
— Golden Knights Radio (@VGKRadioNetwork) October 26, 2024
🎙 @Dan_DUva
Tomas Hertl ties the game with a late power play goal. pic.twitter.com/idmmqCz7Pu
Once again, the revamped power play struck again, tying the game. One minute later, Keegan Kolesar struck, giving the Golden Knights the lead. Ivan Barbashev tallied two goals in the game, including an empty-netter assisted by Jack Eichel and Mark Stone.
The win put the Golden Knights at 5-2-1 (11 points), while the Senators fell to 4-3-0 (eight points). Vegas bumps up to 5-0-0 at T-Mobile Arena with a Saturday contest against the San Jose Sharks looming.
The vibes are good for the Golden Knights on Nevada Day as they continue another impressive start by Bruce Cassidy and company. The top line has been one of the NHL's best, with Stone, Eichel, and Barbashev firing on all cylinders. However, that isn't the team's biggest takeaway from Friday.
Bruce Cassidy orchestrates a terrific comeback for the Vegas Golden Knights
The San Francisco 49ers are the type of team that loves playing while ahead. They get comfortable with a lead and make you work for the victory. But when they're down late, they don't have much of an answer. That's been the case for Kyle Shanahan since he's been the head coach and fans have been frustrated with this little tidbit.
Fortunately for Bruce Cassidy (and Vegas Golden Knights fans), he doesn't have that problem. The former Bruins coach wasn't playing conservatively against the Ottawa Senators. That's especially true when Cousins interfered with Pearson in the third. What did Cassidy do? Find a way to get your go-to guy to crash the net.
There weren't 1st-and-goal passes thrown by the Golden Knights here. Instead, Cassidy stuck with his guns and committed to his strategy. Mark Stone snuck just behind the net for a Jack Eichel feed. The result? A tic-tac-toe feed to tie the game, with Tomas Hertl continuing his power play supremacy (three power play goals).
That's the type of leadership Golden Knights fans expect behind the bench. After that goal, Keegan Kolesar scored on the rush, giving Vegas the lead. As they say, the rest is history. The Senators go home without two points while the Golden Knights snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
The moral of the story? Stick with your gameplan. It doesn't matter where you're at in the game. If you commit to your strengths instead of doing too much, you'll comeback and win. That's what Cassidy showed in a masterclass of coaching, where his team got two points. Now if only Shanahan can take some notes...