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Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter
LAS VEGAS — How the vegas golden knight walked away with a 6-4 win last Wednesday night Edmonton Petroleum in the second round of the Stanley Cup knockout might be a microcosm of what lies ahead.
Everything the Golden Knights managed to achieve in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals at T-Mobile Arena was in line with their master plan. But it also comes with a sense of latitude, that there may be exceptions.
On Wednesday night, Oilers . superstar center Leon Draisaitl is the exception. The 2020 Hart Memorial Trophy winner scored all four goals for his team, bringing his post-season tally to 11 goals and a league-high 15.
But when asked if he has taken any consolation from his four-goal performance, Draisaitl simply said: “No.”
Draisaitl’s four-goal match came less than 24 hours after the veteran Dallas Star front Joe Pavelskiwho missed five games in the first round while in concussion, also scored four goals in Tuesday’s 5-4 extra-time loss to his team Seattle Kraken. According to the NHL, this is only the second time in league history that a player has scored four goals in consecutive days after the season.
Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy spoke more about Draisaitl’s performance than Draisaitl. Cassidy was analyzing what happened in all four goals before making a statement about Draisaitl that made everyone laugh.
“Leon Draisaitl with his 11th goal in the knockout stages,” Cassidy said. “Isn’t that funny? Eleven goals. We’re in the first round of the second round. I mean, it’s unbelievable.”
But overall, Cassidy and his players seem satisfied with their overall defensive approach.
“Honestly, I think we defended well,” Cassidy said with a grin. “I don’t think it was a save. They had a really good push in the third half when we were a bit on the heels. We couldn’t do that against this team. We almost had to go back. played as if we were down when it was 5-4. We were still playing, so that’s what I saw tonight.”
Go back in time with Boston Bruins, Cassidy’s defensive tactics are designed for suppression. It is a structure where, at its peak, all five skaters actively participate in the pre-test while continuously skating. From there, it’s about taking that movement and adding other components, whether they’re a little more subtle or obvious.
Vegas limited Edmonton to three shots on goal early and finished the opening half with just eight shots in total.
“If we had the opportunity to order, we would take it,” said the Golden Knights center William Karlsson, who finished with a support. “I think we did it. We had a great start and it just keeps going. I think overall we played a pretty good game. I think we controlled it. controlling most of the game, and if you can keep it that way, that would be great. I’d rather have that than let them control the game.”
Draisaitl scored the winning goal in the opening period with 5 goals. The first time he came with the power play, then the Golden Knights scored three goals in a row thanks to Ivan Barbashev, Michael Amadio and captain mark stone.
Vegas is 11 seconds away from taking a two-goal lead against Draisaitl, who is standing to the right of the keeper Laurent Brossoifound enough space to shoot Brossoi’s slit in the back to take a 3-2 lead.
Draisaitl finished the match less than two minutes into the third inning with a powerful goal for a unit that ended 2 to 3 thanks to the side skater’s advantage.
If Draisaitl scoring seemingly at will has become a familiar sight, so is the rapid number of goals scored within two minutes. Every first series saw at least two instances of two goals being scored in quick succession.
It happened again on Wednesday night when the Golden Knights led 5-3 as Barbashev scored the second and Chandler Stephenson also scored. Goals are scored 50 seconds apart.
Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft said: “I don’t think we adhered to our game plan tonight. “I think we were too loose, and like I said, I think we made some individual mistakes that we haven’t seen in a long time.”
Draisaitl scored the fourth to take the lead 5-4 against a late goal in the empty net of Jack Eichel make it 6-4.
As for the Golden Knights’ defensive approach, the Oilers reached the second semi-finals in the NHL with 34.1 shots per game and 27 shots on Wednesday night.
Edmonton also leads the league in most dangerous chances per 60 minutes and fourth in most dangerous goals per 60 minutes, according to Natural Stat Trick. Vegas held off Edmonton with just eight high-risk chances, with seven of them coming in the third inning.
“It should come as no surprise to anyone that on any given night either of those two [Draisaitl or Connor McDavid] — and they have more than just those two, and that’s no disrespect to them,” Guardian of the Golden Knights Zach White Cloud speak. “They have people on the squad that can contribute to those aspects. But as a team of five and as a team, you have to focus your energy on the things they do well and the personnel that they do well. they had on the ice at the time. …Four goals, but you have to do your best to try to limit that.”
