The Vegas Golden Knights got off to a shining, albeit slow, start in round one of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 4-1 over the Chicago Blackhawks. It may not have been the offensive barn burner we were expecting from these two teams. The rate at which the game began to open up could be an indication of some offensive fireworks to come.
Feeling Each Other Out
There are many approaches coaches may choose to take when it comes to the opening game of a best-of-seven series. In the past, we’ve seen teams simply try to impose their own style of play early on, just as much as we’ve seen teams content to sit back and get a feel for their new opponents. The opening period of game one was a textbook example of the latter strategy.
Both Pete DeBoer and Jeremy Colliton didn’t seem too pressed to unleash their full-fledged attack, probably out of the rightful fear of the offensive potential that lay on the other side. This made for a rather uneventful first period to kickoff these teams’ playoffs as they combined for a mere five chances. While there were some impressive defensive plays on both ends, the whole period played out like a cage match, with neither team wanting to commit to anything but getting out alive.
Open The Floodgates
Early on in the second, it looked like Chicago would draw first blood when Robin Lehner was flailing around in the crease after his blade came off the skate. After a few close calls and an acrobatic save, Lehner was able to go in for a tire change with the score still tied at zero.
Lehner continued to have equipment issues, but thankfully none that cost his team. It helped his case that the chances were still few and far between up until that point as nobody wanted to make the first mistake.
Seemingly out of nowhere, Shea Theodore broke the deadlock with a quick wrister from just beyond the dot. The breakout defensemen has put his stamp on the tournament, so it was no surprise that Theodore found himself on the board for the fifth time. Reilly Smith and Alec Martinez picked up assists on the tally that beat Corey Crawford high glove.
Vegas quickly doubled their lead after finally being on the right end of a scramble. The Golden Knights’ fourth line made an impression once again, playing big, tough hockey in the lead up to the goal. Ryan Reaves threw the puck on net and William Carrier banged it home after a couple bounces.
Chicago challenged the goal as their video team thought they saw an offside in the leadup to the goal. Alas, everything was legal and the lead remained at two. The failed challenge looked to be to Vegas’ advantage as they went on the power play, but David Kämpf fired home a shorthanded goal to bring the Blackhawks within one. The play was a result of the usually solid Theodore being outmuscled by Brandon Saad who knocked the puck loose for the incoming Kämpf to snap over Lehner’s shoulder.
The three goals all came within 3:29 of each other, a drastic difference to the cautious opening strategy.
Dynamic Duo
The Knights came out charging in the third, looking exactly like the structured powerhouse we have become accustomed to seeing. In the opening four minutes of the period, Smith re-upped his side’s lead to two as he bobbled one in off of Crawford’s blocker.
What started as a routine shot from the point somehow ended up behind the veteran netminder who would have really liked to have had that one back. The weakness of the goal doesn’t take away from the lead up play, which was a beautiful interception by Jonathan Marchessault in the neutral zone. Nevertheless, Smith got the goal and Marchessault the assist.
Just five minutes later, the two linked up again to bring Vegas’ lead to three goals. Marchessault sauced a perfect pass to a streaking Smith who was clinical on the backhand as he was alone in front of Crawford. It was Smith’s defensive play in front of his own net that got his team back on the attack on which he finished. It was a classic example of the solid and structured offence the Golden Knights have relied on for success.
The Bottom Line
After a careful opening 20 minutes of hockey, the Golden Knights simply looked like the better hockey team through the second and third periods. Not only did their offence come out and put up four goals in a variety of ways, but their defence stepped up to the plate. Despite his giveaway on the Chicago goal, Theodore continued to impress in his own end, as did the rest of the defensive unit. This bodes well in a series pitting two lethal offences against one another.
On that note, the fact that the Knights kept the Blackhawks to a single goal is even more impressive when you consider that this is a forward group who spent months practicing with Lehner. One would think that there would be an advantage in knowing a goalie’s tendencies, which could indicate a risk with starting Lehner. But as long as Vegas continues to be as solid defensively as they are offensively, Lehner looks incredibly solid in net. And who knows, maybe the advantage lies with him, as he knows how the Blackhawks big guns like to score.