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Vegas Golden Knights Overcome Demko, Win Game Seven

September 5, 2020, 1:19 PM ET [3 Comments]
Jeff Paul
Vegas Golden Knights Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT


It took a little longer than most would've expected, but the Vegas Golden Knights are officially back in the Western Conference Finals. What seemed like a sure bet, turned into quite the scare for Vegas, as the Vancouver Canucks showed off their moxie. After forcing a Game Seven, with two straight wins, the Canucks are headed home with nothing to be ashamed of.

This series had all the storylines. Goalie controversy, big comebacks, game misconducts, injuries, you name it. There was rarely a dull moment over these past seven games. The series definitely had it's big moments and momentum swings, making it the whirlwind it turned out to be. It was an intense and stressful series, but the Golden Knights persevered to make their second Western Conference Final in three years.

Instead if narrowing this series down to moments, there are a few players who stood out above the rest. Their play either kept their team in the series or saved them from an upset. The following five players made the biggest impact for their respective clubs, some of which you'd anticipate.

Robin Lehner:


His play should speak for itself, but sadly it doesn't in Las Vegas. Many in Sin City would rather live and die by Marc-Andre Fleury than accept a guy who posts three shutouts in one playoff series. Lehner held the Canucks scoreless in three of his six starts which is truly remarkable, yet was being criticised up to the minute he eliminated Vancouver.

I wrote about the Lehner hate and social media barrage in an earlier piece and it's continued, despite Fleury's sub-.900 save percentage. At the time of the Expansion Draft, Fleury was marketed as the Face of the Franchise, a risky move with a 35-year-old goalie. Everybody fell in love with him. Gerard Gallant rode him until the wheels fell off, for a Stanley Cup run in 2017-18 and what was left was a shell of himself.

Yes, Fleury makes big saves from time to time, but he isn't perfect. Neither is Lehner for that matter. What the numbers do show, is that since he arrived in Vegas, Lehner outperformed the incumbent Fleury. You'd like to think Lehner has earned some admiration from the VGK faithful, but it's a slow burn. With a 3-0 victory on the books, Lehner proved why he is "the" guy. Three shutout wins in one series is remarkable and one of the biggest stories of this series.

Thatcher Demko:


When Jacob Markstrom came up Unfit to Play, it was Thatcher Demko's time to shine and boy did he take advantage of the national stage. He's no stranger to high-level competition, tending the pipes for the US Developmental Program and Boston College prior to his pro debut.

Demko deserves the Conn Smythe. End the playoffs now and reward the man. He is THE only reason the Canucks played beyond Game Five. Demko had a string of over 80 saves in a row, against the odds-on-favorites to win the Stanley Cup. He did an impeccable job in his first season of playoff action. The fact that only one Golden Knights player could score on him is mind-blowing.

Shea Theodore:


That one Golden Knight was Shea Theodore. The dynamic defenseman is having himself a great playoff and is starting to receive the recognition he deserves.

"You hear a lot about (Cale) Makar, (Quinn) Hughes, but She's Theodore doesn't get enough attention."
- Pierre McGuire on NBCSN

Yes, I just quoted Pierre McGuire. That goes to show how spot-on that take is. Theodore is solid in both ends and the way he elevated the Golden Knights' dormant offense once again was noticable. He scored the two goals against on Demko, when the entire offense went goalless. Who knows there the Golden Knights would be without Theodore. He's even inked to a long-term, team-friendly contract.

Quinn Hughes:


One of the other defensemen McGuire highlighted was Quinn Hughes, the University of Michigan alum. Hughes is "undersized", but brings a ton of puck skill, composure, and heart. Even while taking a physical beating, Hughes will find his spots to produce points for the Canucks.

Ryan Reaves, William Carrier, and Co. were making a point to get physical with the 5'10", 170 pound defenseman. Regardless of the beating he'd take, Hughes showed his toughness, finishing the round with a goal and five assists in seven games. He's already quarterbacking the Canucks top Power Play unit, which speaks volumes of his ability at just 20-years-old.

Elias Pettersson:


While on the subject of young stars, Elias Pettersson commanded extra attention from the Golden Knights defense, scoring three goals, with one in each of Games Five and Six.

Pettersson is a rising star in the league. He's not overly physical, but as he showed in the Golden Knights series, he will go to the front of the net. He isn't afraid to mix it up, similarly to Hughes. Pettersson gave the Golden Knights defense some issues and was a man they were sure to key in on.

Following that hard-fought series, the Canucks are a team to look out for. They have up-and-coming talent at both the NHL and AHL level and nearly knocked off the Western Conference favorites. They forced the Golden Knights to dig deep and with more experience, will be a force to reckon with.

Next up for the Golden Knights are the Dallas Stars, who have done a complete 360 since the Round Robin. They're sure to be confident after bouncing Nathan MacKinnon and the speedy Colorado Avalanche from the playoffs. The perfect mix of youth and veteran leadership, the Stars present a real challenge for the VGK.

Game One will be Sunday night, with no travel needed. Eastern Conference play wraps up this evening in Toronto, when the Flyers and Islanders face off in their own Game Seven. The Flyers are looking to become the only team down three games to one in this round to win their Game Seven.

You catch me on Twitter to stay up-to-date on your VGK news. If any players happen to come up "Unfit to Play", you'll find it there!


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