Revenge is a dish best served cold.
Or, in the case of the Jets, it's a dish best served in the cold, as they welcomed the Golden Knights to Winnipeg with a 7-4 shellacking. This avenged their 5-2 loss in Las Vegas three weeks ago.
Tied at two after two, the Jets kicked off the third period on the power play.
For the Knights, much like last night, this was a painful reminder of the inches between winning and losing, as Smith and Pierre-à‰douard Bellemare were this close to disrupting everything.
Two minutes later, Winnipeg scored another power play marker, and the rout was on.
Pluses
Vegas actually held a 2-1 lead after 20.
Good read by #VegasBorn Miller to jump up, create 3-on-2, put pressure on #GoJetsGo defense & Hellebucyk pic.twitter.com/yByr36RRVV
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 2, 2017
Full credit to #VegasBorn. Looked lost to start game. Roared back to take 9-5 ES scoring chances edge over #GoJetsGo in 1st. According to @NatStatTrick, #VGK 25-14 5v5 Corsi, 9-7 scoring chances, 5-3 high-danger
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 2, 2017
Minuses
After #VegasBorn poured it on in 1st (#VGK 25-14 5v5 Corsi), #GoJetsGo answered back resoundingly in 2nd: WPG 25-9 5v5 Corsi, 10-3 scoring chances, 2-0 high-danger. By my count, WPG 7-1 ES quality scoring chances
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 2, 2017
The visitors were hampered by shoddy execution and alert sticks in lanes. They spent the whole period defending, unable to force turnovers and mount counterattacks. Perhaps slowed because of the back-to-back, the Knights were a step behind for most of the second period.
Bellemare repeated, "They were skating. They were skating."
All this would set up an explosive third act from the hosts, as they dropped five goals on the visitors.
Speaking of the third period, for the second time in three games, Colin Miller got caught up in retaliation. Against Dallas, it was Gemel Smith, and both drew coincidental minors. Last night, it was Brandon Tanev, but only Miller went to the box. Laine would make him pay with a power play bullet which made it 4-2.
For the second straight contest, the newly constructed Brendan Leipsic-Cody Eakin-Oscar Lindberg line found itself chasing the play often. While Eakin did score the first Vegas goal, it wouldn't surprise me if Gallant broke them up, especially if David Perron and/or William Carrier are ready to play next week.
After staking Vegas to a 2-1 lead with some solid saves, Maxime Lagace allowed some regrettable goals.
"We fell asleep in spurts and didn't play hard," Gerard Gallant admitted.
For a team whose hallmark is being relentless, they've taken the foot off the pedal too often since their resounding victory in Anaheim.
On a three-game skid, the Golden Knights return home to circle the Coyotes this Monday.
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