Backed by a three-point performance for Max Pacioretty, the Vegas Golden Knights took a 3-1 series lead over Elias Pettersson and the Vancouver Canucks. Despite Pettersson's best efforts, the Golden Knights took Game Four by a score of 5-3. A big third period comeback for the VGK leaves the Canucks on the verge of having their bubble busted.
Pacioretty opened the scoring, with a laser of a shot on the power play. Unfortunately for him, Pettersson scored a PPG of his own less than two minutes later. It took a mere 2:04 for the Golden Knights to get their lead back. Chandler Stephenson found the net on a nice give-and-go with his dynamic defenseman, Shea Theodore.
Vancouver came out strong in the second period, erasing the Golden Knights' 2-1 lead. Bo Horvat and Tyler Toffoli (PPG) goals gave the Canucks their first (and last) lead of the night, mid-way through the second period. They'd finish the second ahead, but it would be very short-lived.
Nate Schmidt tickled the twine just 2:52 into the third period, knotting the game back up at three goals apiece. All three members of the electric Cousins-Roy-Tuch line won a board battle. Jon Merrill - playing in his first game of the postseason - sent the puck to Schmidt, who buried the one-timer.
Riding the momentum of the Schmidt goal, Pacioretty took the lead back, netting a beautiful redirection goal, with Chris Tanev literally all over him. It was a big time play, by a big time player. He may be on the "wrong side" of 30, but he's still got it.
Pacioretty's second goal of game
R2, Gm4: Max Pacioretty deflects Nate Schmidt's pass in off his stick, giving the Golden Knights a 4-3 lead with his second goal of the game
He'd go on to show off his playmaking on William Karlsson's goal. Off a broken play he chased the puck down to the corner and sent a beautiful centering pass to Karlsson. Wild Bill didn't miss it, picking up the redirection for an insurance marker. The 5-3 lead held up through the Canucks' final push.
As the second game of a back-to-back, Marc-Andre Fleury was called upon by Head Coach Pete DeBoer, staying true to his pledge to use both netminders. The win pushed Fleury's 2020 playoff record to 3-0-0 in relief of Robin Lehner. With both goalies happy and winning, below are a few of the biggest takeaways from the game.
DeBoer Ain't Scared:
In addition to the Fleury start, DeBoer made a change on defense, inserting Merrill back into the lineup, opposite Zach Whitecloud. He and Whitecloud posted a 5-on-5 Corsi For % in the 60s this season and he was finally subbed back in for Nick Holden. The pending-UFA Merrill moves better and seems to provide more upside than Holden, who has actually already inked his own contract extension.
Whitecloud's Progression:
Pacioretty is Focused:
Together with Stone and Karlsson, the man they call Patches will be a big reason why IF the Golden Knights advance. He may not be the biggest name on the team, thanks to guys like Fleury, Stone, and Stastny, but he's a real solid presence with leadership experience. The VGK have a great group of leaders, Patches being one of them.
This Team is Deep:
Reaves and Carrier, Wrecking Crew:
If the Canucks allow Reaves and Carrier to continue to get their way and abuse them on the boards, they will lose the series and go home with a few more bruises than they entered the bubble with. This Vegas team looks ready for a long run while the young, potentially overmatched Canucks squad may be running out of bubble time.
Game Five of the Western Conference semifinal comes on Tuesday evening, with Vegas acting as the home team inside the Rodgers Place. The table has been set for the second Conference Final in three seasons and now it's all on the run-and-gun Golden Knights to see it to fruition.
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