Western Conference Final: Winnipeg Jets vs Vegas Golden Knights

[PenguinHunter]

No not really, their style of play is more indicative of a team that's trailing by a goal, even when they are up by 3. There's a sense of urgency in their game from puck drop. It never seems to falter.

When a team is trailing by a goal they are usually jumping the zone and d-men are pinching.... do the Golden Knights do this all the time??

[MZac]

I find it comical how before the season people were saying how McPhee made some awful management decisions. The mishandle of Shipachyov for one.
Look at them now

Shipa-who?

[lucafen4]

When a team is trailing by a goal they are usually jumping the zone and d-men are pinching.... do the Golden Knights do this all the time??

I was referring more to their tireless dogged pursuit of the puck, but as soon as they gain control of the puck, the entire group transitions into offensive mode and do it faster than any other team in the league. No one seems to ever coast - puck or no puck.

[Rato]

Interesting article from Puck Daddy: https://sports.yahoo.com/trending-to...165016959.html

And this sums it all up for me: "The post-facto explanations for why Vegas had 109 points in the regular season and then mowed through the first three rounds of the playoffs in just 15 games have all necessarily veered into the ?intangibles? territory because there is no tangible way to explain their success".

[Rylant]

I will be honest and say that I watched probably less than 10 Vegas games during the regular season. I have watched all of their games pretty much in the playoffs. In addition to people saying that they are outworking everyone, and their conditioning seems to be great, I have noticed that they rarely make mistakes defensively. When they do make mistakes defensively, goalie cast-away Fleury, has been ungodly. On offense, they are relentless with pouncing on other teams mistakes. It's crazy to watch.

On paper, they still don't look that good to me. On paper, the Oilers look significantly better to me. And yet, here we are. At the beginning of the year, I would have bet a lot of money that Vegas would miss the playoffs.

Rylant

[The Comish]

I will be honest and say that I watched probably less than 10 Vegas games during the regular season. I have watched all of their games pretty much in the playoffs. In addition to people saying that they are outworking everyone, and their conditioning seems to be great, I have noticed that they rarely make mistakes defensively. When they do make mistakes defensively, goalie cast-away Fleury, has been ungodly. On offense, they are relentless with pouncing on other teams mistakes. It's crazy to watch.

On paper, they still don't look that good to me. On paper, the Oilers look significantly better to me. And yet, here we are. At the beginning of the year, I would have bet a lot of money that Vegas would miss the playoffs.

Rylant

Jesus Rylant...umm...ditto? I completely agree with everything you are saying! It will be interesting to see what William Karlsson gets for his new contract.

[blayze]

Vegas is one of those rare examples of how 1) intangibles do matter and 2) effective team play has the potential to trump individual talent.

Obviously they are the exception to the norm as the most dominant cup winning teams in recent history (Pens, Hawks) have been stocked with talent, but good to see that a well-run team of "OK" individual players, all marching to the beat of the same drum, has the potential to overcome a stacked lineup (like the Jets).

I really think the biggest reason for Vegas' success is the reject factor. Every man in that locker room had a burning desire all year to prove their former teams wrong. Revenge is powerful.

[PenguinHunter]

Wow... Vegas is going to have over a full week rest. and the winner of tonights game is going to get a solid rest as well.

https://www.nhl.com/news/stanley-cup...?tid=287339198

Game one isn't until Monday May 28. There is going to be 4 nights without hockey... 1 whole weekend.

This is strategic planning on Sportsnet's part... wait for the finals to start after the Memorial Cup is done.

[ericdaoust]

I am going out of town for the weekend so I'm thankful the NHL accepted my request to have the final start Monday. It's all about me right?

[PenguinHunter]

Burke just told Fleury that he didn't think he had it in him to carry the load to another Stanley Cup... and then he apologized to him on air.

HockeyCentral at noon, right of the top of the show.

[Rylant]

I really think the biggest reason for Vegas' success is the reject factor. Every man in that locker room had a burning desire all year to prove their former teams wrong. Revenge is powerful.

Could not agree more. The motivation that nobody wants you has to be huge. One thing though; I am not sure how sustainable that type of motivation is. How long can the desire to exact revenge motivate somebody?

Rylant

[blayze]

Could not agree more. The motivation that nobody wants you has to be huge. One thing though; I am not sure how sustainable that type of motivation is. How long can the desire to exact revenge motivate somebody?

Rylant

Until you've exacted the revenge... in other words if Vegas wins the cup, look for them to start playing like an actual expansion team next year

[Jouko-Pouko]

Until you've exacted the revenge... in other words if Vegas wins the cup, look for them to start playing like an actual expansion team next year

They were smart not to trade away their future draft picks.

[PenguinHunter]

Until you've exacted the revenge... in other words if Vegas wins the cup, look for them to start playing like an actual expansion team next year

This is my gut feeling as well... the expectations we had this year are what could be reality next year.

[lucafen4]

They were smart not to trade away their future draft picks.

according to capfriendly they only have 1 pick - 2nd in the 1st - 3 rounds of this years draft