Golden Knights Grades: The Good, The Great, The Not-So Good

When the Vegas Golden Knights played the Columbus Blue Jackets on January 30th, they were sluggish, slow, and couldn’t solve the Blue Jackets’ man-on-man defensive system. Through the first 10 minutes of Thursday’s game, they displayed similar traits; the results, however, were not the same. The Golden Knights broke through tonight and recorded their sixth shut out of the season in a 4-0 win. 

For most of the first period, it was like the Golden Knights had learned nothing from their previous meeting. They couldn’t contain the Blue Jackets off the rush, and they turned the puck over nearly every time they entered the offensive zone. They didn’t even record a shot until 12 minutes into the game, but that was all it took to beat Elvis Merzlikins for the first time.

The Golden Knights solved Merzlikins on the power play on their first shot of the game. Jack Eichel found Nic Roy back door, and Roy didn’t miss. 

But even after the Golden Knights scored, they struggled to generate sustained offensive zone time. Brandon Saad’s nifty backhand goal gave them breathing room, but if not for Adin Hill’s brilliance, the Blue Jackets likely would have led going into the first intermission. After 20 minutes, the Blue Jackets led the Golden Knights in shots and shot attempts– 14-6 and 33-9, respectively– but it was the Golden Knights with the 2-0 lead.

And then, the shift.

It was like flipping a light switch—the Golden Knights turned the tables on the Blue Jackets and took over the game in the second. After allowing 14 shots in the first, the Golden Knights held the Blue Jackets to seven shots in the second and six in the third. 

The Golden Knights blocked their fair share of shots– 21, to be exact– but after the first period, they allowed the Blue Jackets very little offensive zone time. The Blue Jackets struggled to possess the puck; when they did have it, they couldn’t do much with it.

“We played better,” said head coach Bruce Cassidy postgame. “We were on top of them more; we didn’t allow them to come through the neutral zone. They’ve got really fluid defensemen, guys that are mobile and can skate. If you limit some of that part of their game, I think they got a little antsy… All of a sudden, the rush game goes our way… That’s where it changed, the second goal. It was just a greasy, hardworking goal.” 

Golden Knights Grades

Team: A–

The Golden Knights didn’t have it through the first 15-ish minutes. They didn’t record their first shot on goal until 12 minutes into the first period; it took them 2:59 to manage another, and it came shorthanded. The Blue Jackets passed through the neutral zone with ease and cut into the Golden Knights’ zone like butter. It looked like they were in for a game like the one against the Penguins on Tuesday.

The Golden Knights tightened things up considerably in the second period. Suddenly, they were in control of the game, and the Blue Jackets were the team struggling to generate offense. 

In the third period, the Golden Knights were absolutely stifling. They made a three-goal lead feel insurmountable, blocking shots, breaking up passes, and clogging up the neutral zone. The Blue Jackets had nothing, and it was a complete team effort.

Power play: C

The power play went 1-for-3 tonight, which is usually a good stat line. But on the opportunity they converted on, they didn’t have anything. The Golden Knights went 1:33 without recording a shot on the man advantage. They gave up several shorthanded scoring chances throughout the night. If not for Adin Hill, it would have been a very different game.

Penalty kill: A+

What is this, the Twilight Zone? It feels odd to criticize the power play and praise the penalty kill, but here we are. Pavel Dorofeyev took two penalties in the first period– one a double minor for high-sticking–  and the kill was perfect. Nic Roy had an excellent shorthanded scoring chance off the rush with Reilly Smith, but Elvis Merzlikins sprawled out to make a spectacular save.

Reilly Smith has made his presence felt on the penalty kill. It’s been much better since the Golden Knights reacquired him; that’s no coincidence.

Adin Hill: A+

The Golden Knights didn’t make Adin Hill’s job easy through the first 20 minutes. He faced 14 shots in the first period and had to deal with the Blue Jackets living in his crease without paying rent. Hill recorded his fourth shutout of the season– a career-high– and finished the game with 2.28 goals saved above expected. 

“That was nice not to hear [the cannon],” remarked Bruce Cassidy postgame. “It looked like we were going to, early on– we weren’t on time with our start. Adin kept us in it.”

Brandon Saad/Tomáš Hertl/Pavel Dorofeyev: A

I’m grading the line as a whole because I’m the grader, and I can do that. But I’ll break them down individually.

There have been games where Pavel Dorofeyev made his presence felt more offensively, but I thought he played his best—or at least most complete—game of the season on Thursday. He was very smart in the defensive zone; he always knew where to be, and he used his stick to break up plays. His second-period goal was just the cherry on top.

He’s only played 13 games in Vegas gold, but it’s becoming difficult to remember that Brandon Saad was anything other than a Golden Knight. He just fits the system so well– he’s fast, relentless on pucks, dangerous off the rush. He was all over Thursday’s game against the Blue Jackets; Saad finished with a goal, an assist, four shots on goal, and the highest game score on the team per HockeyStatCards.

There are games where you can tell a player is seeing the ice well; Thursday was one of those nights for Tomáš Hertl. He’s best known for his hands and ability to park himself in front of the net to screen opposing goalies and chip in rebounds; tonight, his playmaking shone brightest. 

Jack Eichel/Mark Stone: Rest them for a game

Jack Eichel recorded the primary assist on Nic Roy’s goal, putting him in sole possession of the franchise lead for points in a single season (79) and extending his point streak to seven games. 

But he looks tired. So, too, does Mark Stone.

Stone and Eichel, along with Noah Hanifin and Adin Hill, played at the 4 Nations Face-Off Tournament in February. They didn’t get the two-week break that the other players did. And it’s starting to show. They need a rest. I know it’s the home stretch of the season, and the Golden Knights want to win the Pacific Division. 

But they also want to win the Stanley Cup.