"We played a pretty good game," said Gerard Gallant of Tuesday's 3-0 loss to Dallas. "We just couldn’t get Grade-A scoring chances."
Which begs the question, how do you play a good game without getting any Grade-A chances? Especially when the Stars enjoyed their share?
It's the first time this season that I've disagreed with Gallant's general assessment of a game. Of course, he may have other good reasons for his claim.
One good reason? Vegas actually played as strong a first period as they've enjoyed in a while. Recent victories over San Jose and Arizona were incomplete 60-minute efforts, to say the least.
#GoStars seem to dictate early part of period down low, but #VegasBorn dmen started moving puck more crisply. By my count, #VGK 7-4 even strength scoring chances. @NatStatTrick had it tighter, VGK 22-19 5v5 Corsi, 7-6 Scoring chances, 2-0 High-danger
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) November 29, 2017
Down 1-0 with about a minute left in the middle frame, the home team just needed the horn to sound for a chance to regroup:
Look at Marchessault point at the ghost.
It's as if Faksa weaved an invisibility spell on every Golden Knight except for Marchessault so they couldn't see him. Every goal in his natural hat trick was the result of being wide open.
When the intermission horn finally blew, the home team was down 3-0.
Pluses
Malcolm Subban was spectacular.
First name Malcolm. Last name Subban. pic.twitter.com/xxCuQnOSBQ
— Ryan Quigley (@RP_Quigs) November 29, 2017
This is just ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/rr2N4mzarU
— Ryan Quigley (@RP_Quigs) November 29, 2017
Subban's candor regarding his own play, even when I'm trying to pump his tires, has been refreshing.
In the grand scheme, it was a meaningless play, but Oscar Lindberg absolutely mugged fellow countryman John Klingberg on the forecheck in the first period.
Lindberg eats his countryman Klingberg alive on forecheck #VegasBorn #GoStars pic.twitter.com/UkUPPvx5AV
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) November 29, 2017
"I played with him for a lot of years back home. I knew kind of what he was going to try to do."
Minuses
Besides the goals allowed, it was not a well-played second period. Keep in the mind that the aforementioned Subban highlights were from this frame too:
One illustration for #GoStars 2nd period domination is I had DAL 9-3 ES scoring chances. Another is @NatStatTrick had DAL 5v5 High-danger chances 6-0. Shot quality makes 13-13 5v5 Corsi in this frame irrelevant, fantastic work by Stars
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) November 29, 2017
"They got into a couple guys' heads.
"I think guys sometimes get too worried about the other guy, instead of just playing their own game. You're worrying about where that guy is on the ice. Maybe trying to get a good hit on him. It can cause you to get out of position.
"Sometimes, you just get away from your game a little bit."
Gallant hadn't heard Tuch's comments. When asked about them, the head coach stated, "I don't know why he'd say that."
While Tuch was clear to point out that he wasn't talking about anybody in particular, I couldn't help but think about this first period exchange between Colin Miller and Gemel Smith, which led to coincidental minors:
Undeniably, however, Dallas's brawn up front did help them overpower Vegas down low.
"They reset the puck a lot. The puck was going behind the net every single time. They had a fresh guy waiting for it," Pierre-à‰douard Bellemare observed. "We had a hard time stopping that cycle."
Here's an example of a second period Stars cycle, which incorporated both speed and puck protection. The Knights defend it well enough, but it's almost a minute of not creating your own offense.
Credit to Bellemare too, who seems to be a go-to guy to talk to after losses, for his honest, illuminating answers.
As for Gallant, he doesn't owe the press anything besides courtesy, which he consistently gives, so more power to him. I'm sure he has his reasons. I would just love to see a highlight reel of this alleged "pretty good game," if only for my own edification.
Vegas will try to have a good game in Minnesota this evening.
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