Normally, it would be bad news for a team on a losing streak to go to Tampa Bay to take on the Eastern Conference-leading Lightning. The Golden Knights, of course, are no normal team, as they punched the presumptive "best team in the league" in the mouth 4-1.
Individual shots/entries. The Haula line with a strong night for Vegas & Lindberg was able to give their third line a jolt too. Kucherov was the catalyst for most of TB's offense. #GoBolts#VegasBornpic.twitter.com/vR0Egvv0a2
When the Golden Knights selected Deryk Engelland in the Expansion Draft, he was thought of as the typical stay-at-home, allergic-to-the-puck defenseman. After watching him for a half-season, I believe he's an underrated puckmover. Not great, not good, but okay, which combined with his other skills, makes a pretty useful player.
Anyway, Engelland takes advantage of the rookie Mikhail Sergachev, who doesn't have David Perron properly marked. Then Erik Haula fills the middle lane, forcing Anton Stralman to account for him, instead of stepping up on Perron closer to the blueline.
Perron literally made Stralman shimmy. This gave the Knights a 3-1 lead.
Pluses
William Karlsson put the game out of reach with an early third period strike, making it 4-1. It was the 24th of the season for the Swede, whose previous career-high was nine.
Whether the scoring continues or not, this contest was an exhibition of Karlsson's many other skills. Reviewing the tape, it seemed like every shift revealed another facet of his three-zone ability.
It's worth noting that this is a fairly routine night for Karlsson (except for the two minors which he took, matching his season total).
What stands out about Karlsson's set-up of Reilly Smith is the patience, the extra split-second he takes before feeding Smith for the slam dunk (post). This wait ensures Andrei Vasilevskiy is fully across, exposing the other side of the net. Not every forward has this kind of patience.
Karlsson has proven to be a ferocious forechecker. We see it here, as he bothers Ondrej Palat and Braydon Coburn. But what I love is not just the forecheck, but making a play after winning the puck -- that little pass through Coburn's legs to Jonathan Marchessault -- choosing some creativity over the grind.
A couple plays really jumped out here: Karlsson is the first man on the puck, but Sergachev pounces on him. Karlsson keeps the puck alive by shielding it with skate then body before Smith takes it. It's really clever.
Then, when Shea Theodore steps up on Brayden Point, Karlsson knows what to do with this good fortune. He kicks it to blade and finds Marchessault for the 2-on-1 down low.
A good player knows what to do with a good bounce.
You can't discuss Karlsson without talking about his play away from the puck. Good defense creates good offense, and he's the embodiment of that axiom.
The eyes have it here. Sergachev is looking to Point for the stretch pass, and Karlsson catches him. Perfect positioning, a kick, and the Golden Knights are counterattacking once again.
There's a reason why Karlsson is the team's most-used forward. Just watch him cover for Brad Hunt:
It's been an amazing, out-of-nowhere campaign for Karlsson. But even with a few less goals, he's a top-six forward on both sides of the puck.
Minuses
The Golden Knights went scoreless on two power plays with only one shot. They're now one out of their last 26 on the man advantage.
As I mentioned yesterday, I'm not so concerned with the recent results, but the season-long underlying stats which suggest that Vegas has trouble creating chances.
***
For Jason Garrison, the circumstances behind his Tampa Bay homecoming were less than ideal.
After three seasons and a Stanley Cup Finals appearance at Amalie Arena, he was exposed in the Expansion Draft. The Golden Knights selected him, but after just four games, sent him down to their AHL affiliate.
In Chicago, there's been nothing but praise for the 33-year-old who hadn't played in the AHL since 2009. The team's best all-around defenseman, he's played about 24 to 25 minutes a night, according to Wolves general manager Wendell Young, "Conditioning-wise, especially at his age, he's doing an unbelievable job."
Young added, "His attitude has been what's been most impressive. He came down with the attitude that I'm here to play. You know, he's one of the guys. It's amazing how he fit in so quickly."
Down to six healthy defensemen, Vegas has looked toward Garrison once again, calling on him to fill in for the injured Jon Merrill. He met the big club in Tampa.
When I spoke with Garrison last week in San Diego, where the Wolves were taking on the Gulls, he talked about having to adjust his game.
"I think predominantly in his career, he was looked to on the power play for his big shot," Young noted. "Now, he's a shutdown guy too. He's on our top pairing, shutting down the other team's biggest line."
Garrison may not be the weapon who was once selected by Team Canada for the 2014 World Championships. But with a more defensive focus, the blueliner has a second chance to make his mark on the Knights' historic campaign.
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