Sam Hitchcock: What Was Learned in Loss to Golden Knights

I learned Vegas is a real contender, not a fluke

I was at the game. The main problem is the team had little energy. No jump in their step. Numerous cross ice passes were blocked or intercepted. Numerous shots were blocked. And Vasy wasn’t sharp enough to keep us in the game. The team will need better energy on this long road trip.

Got outworked, plain and simple. Vasi has cooled off and we can hope he heats back up soon.

No need to hit the panic button. Cooper just needs to light a fire under them.

Vegas is probably the most consistently hard-working team in the league. They give 100% every shift of every game and have kept it up for half a season. That makes up for a lack of elite level talent.

Having said that, in a seven game series, I would put my money on the Lightning. They have more overall talent and have a lot more playoff experience. These regular season games ultimately mean nothing other than a feeling out.