What's better than stealing one game on the road? Why, you must steal two games! That's exactly what the Vegas Golden Knights did on Friday, edging the Colorado Avalanche, 3-1. Fans can thank Carter Hart for yet another terrific performance after stopping 29 of 30 shots.
Ivan Barbashev (twice!) and Jack Eichel scored for the Vegas Golden Knights, with both goals coming in the third period. Ross Colton scored for the Avalanche, kicking off the goal party in the first period. Eichel gets a much-needed goal, while Barbashev continues to evolve as a playoff performer.
Now, the Golden Knights have a commanding 2-0 lead and T-Mobile Arena awaits Vegas with open arms. Even when you don't have Mark Stone and Jeremy Lauzon or lose Brayden McNabb for a part of the game, you still find a way to pull off a magic trick. That's incredible work that's worthy of a Stanley Cup (or a trip to the Final, at least).
So, let's dive into what happened for the Golden Knights. Who stepped up in a big way for Vegas? What needs to change if the Golden Knights want to upset the hockey universe with a third Stanley Cup Final trip in nine seasons? Let's break down the game film and see what the Golden Knights are up to.
Game 2 was a classic goaltender duel between two solid netminders
Scott Wedgewood was terrific for the Colorado Avalanche in Game 2. He made a breathtaking save on Mitch Marner on the rush and kept the Avalanche upright throughout the game. He was integral in keeping Colorado afloat, stopping 22 of 24 shots. You can say that this was much better than his Game 1 performance.
On the other hand, Hart was his typical brick wall self. He stopped 29 of 30 shots in a winning effort, keeping Vegas in the game. Mind you, Brayden McNabb missed a chunk of the game before eventually returning in the third period. All of this for a 2-0 lead!
If this is what's in store for the Golden Knights, there's no telling how far they'll go. Vegas hasn't had much goaltender luck until Tortorella handed the keys to his former Flyers head coach. Now? It seems that the team has adjusted, playing at a higher level.
The Golden Knights have a penalty problem that's anchoring them
The Golden Knights have a peculiar problem that's plaguing them. Typically, it happens during the closing minutes of a period, draining the offensive momentum. Of course, you probably know that it's the penalty problem.
That was especially apparent with Shea Theodore, who had two penalties on Friday. You had a slashing penalty against Martin Necas in the second period and a hooking penalty against Nathan MacKinnon in the third period. Penalties like this hinder a team's ability to come back and win games.
When you're facing off against the Colorado Avalanche, you need to clean up the play. Yes, the penalty kill cleaned it up on Friday. However, those penalties can eventually break a team in crucial moments, i.e. in a do-or-die situation. Therefore, the play must be better for Vegas.
Add us as a preferred source on Google