After feasting on a buffet line of bottom-feeders -- Chicago, Edmonton, then Montreal -- a team perhaps hungrier than Vegas came into T-Mobile Arena last night.
Winning Play
Both Reilly Smith and Alex Tuch indicated that the Ducks did a stellar job of boxing the Golden Knights out from the front of the net. Here's just one example:
There are a lot of great battles here -- just follow Ryan Kesler and Cody Eakin around the ice -- it looks like Kesler trips Eakin. But Kesler is also a bull in front, denying position.
On the other hand, Tomas Nosek squirms away from Marcus Pettersson to deflect a Brayden McNabb shot.
Josh Manson, however, has Ryan Carpenter's number on this shift. First, it's a bone-crunching check in the corner. Then, when McNabb is going D to D to set up the right point (Nate Schmidt), Manson is forcing Carpenter to the left, giving Ryan Miller a clear lane for the stop.
Jonathan Marchessault noted that Manson and Kevin Bieksa were particularly strong in this department last night, while stressing that his team will be better next time. Gerard Gallant observed that everybody boxes out with determination on the Ducks, while citing Hampus Lindholm and Brandon Montour.
"It's a mindset, you have to pay the price," declared Gallant. "We've got to be a little bit hungrier."
Pluses
Tomas Hyka made a promising NHL debut last night.
Chris Wagner is a depth NHL guy, but regardless, Hyka is all over him on this shift. Three times, he foils Wagner.
First, his skating and stick angle Wagner off from driving down center lane. Wagner is forced to return the puck back to his defense.
Then, Hyka sorts out coverage, sees every Duck down low is covered, and stays high to defend the point. It's basic but solid defensive positioning.
Next, he catches Wagner from behind, forcing the Duck into a turnover. Finally, after Brad Hunt blows a tire, Hyka covers for his teammate, catching Wagner on the backcheck and coming out with puck.
Right off the bench, Hyka is quick on the forecheck, pushing Brandon Montour and forcing a turnover.
Good, safe positioning by Hyka high as Stefan Matteau and Oscar Lindberg forecheck.
But the best part of this clip is after Matteau wins the puck -- from a stopped position, see how Hyka darts to the front between Antoine Vermette and Derek Grant -- great read, better speed.
Matteau recognizes that his teammate is open and fires for a deflection or rebound. Vegas can't capitalize, but it's some great hockey -- including a dangerous attack triangle to spread out the defense -- from the entire line.
Don't need to say much about this play. It's a beaut. Superior vision and touch.
Hyka has two reasonable shooting options here, probably. Slide it between Miller's pads or high. The young winger shows good hands, as I think he gets it where he wants, but Miller was just better with the glove.
Hyka is obviously in really tight, but considering the four Ducks around the net, it's probably the only soft spot. Obviously, that pass by Marchessault was just ridiculous too.
Look how quick Hyka is. Ryan Getzlaf obviously is a different kind of a player, but he doesn't even have a chance to hook the nimble winger.
Creating this kind of space on a dime gives Hyka a chance to make a play, but unfortunately, his pass to David Perron is intercepted.
Hyka did not play a perfect, or even a great game, by any means. But considering his likely nerves, he acquitted himself very well. More of these aforementioned plays, and the young Czech speed merchant might punch his ticket onto the Golden Knights playoff roster.
Minuses
It was an ugly game, which was exactly what Anaheim wanted. Gallant spoke to that:
We passed up some great scoring chances.
Some of our best chances, we tried to make the extra pass, and in a game like tonight, you got to get more pucks to the net. We have to get more people going to the net.
Every night’s not going to be an east-west pass in the offensive zone. Some nights, it’s got to be the two ugly goals they scored tonight.
Defensively, the big, bad Ducks presented a sizeable challenge too. Luca Sbisa noted:
They're just big bodies. They get the pucks deep. They know how to play that game below the goal line.
From Marc-Andre Fleury's perspective, he saw much the same thing:
They had good pressure. In their zone, they cycled the puck. They had big bodies to hold onto the puck for a long time. Their D were pinching a lot. It was hard for us to break out of the zone.
The Golden Knights will try to extinguish the Flames tomorrow night.
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