The Knightly Recap: Week 4

Last week on the Knightly Recap, the Vegas Golden Knights played only two games before having to go into quarantine due to positive COVID-19 cases within the team. The Golden Knights went on a hiatus for a week and a half which dropped them to fourth place in the Honda Division standings. During their break, four Golden Knights games were rescheduled including their Jan. 28 game against the St. Louis Blues.

Before the Golden Knights went into quarantine, they played the Arizona Coyotes for the fourth time this season and St. Louis Blues for the first time this season. Vegas won against the Coyotes while they lost to the Blues in a shootout. That loss would be their first home loss of the season after winning four straight games.

This past week, the Golden Knights returned back to the ice in Las Vegas to play their only opponent of the week: the Los Angeles Kings. With that said, welcome to week 4 of the Knightly Recap.

Feb. 5 vs. Los Angeles Kings: Break? What Break?

People had questioned how the Golden Knights were going to bounce back from their leave of absence per se. But those questions were answered when the Golden Knights scored three goals in the first period. Their first goal came from defenseman Nic Hague who scored 50 seconds into the game. The other two goals in the period came from forwards Captain Mark Stone and Jonathon Marchessault just 1:08 apart.

stopping Nic Hague is a ~tall~ order 😉#VegasBorn | @Raising_Canes pic.twitter.com/L9jJQvMOIh

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) February 6, 2021

Golden Knights forward William Karlsson scored the game’s fourth goal and that sent Kings’ goaltender Jonathan Quick to the bench while Kings’ backup goaltender Cal Petersen came in relief. Petersen only allowed one goal on 26 Vegas shots.

Keeping the Power Play Running

The Golden Knights have converted on their second straight power play in two games which gives them four total power play goals so far this season. It seems like their power play improves every game whether or not they convert on it. However, with Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo still unavailable due to following the NHL’s COVID Protocol, they need to find different ways to get pucks to the net from their blue line until he comes back. And yes, they did convert a PPG but will it be consistent until Pietrangelo comes back is the question.

Points on Points on Points

Seven different Golden Knights players recorded at least one point during this game while the highest point number was three. The Vegas Golden Knights’ Twitter account broke down which seven players produced how many points:

STATS

3 point club
– Nic Hague
– Max Pacioretty
– William Karlsson

2 point club
– Jonathan Marchessault
– Mark Stone

1 point club
– Shea Theodore
– Cody Glass

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) February 6, 2021

If the Golden Knights can have multiple players producing at least one point on a consistent basis this season, then this team will be that much scarier if or when they go to the playoffs.

Marc-Andre Fleury Should Be in the Vezina Conversation Right Now

Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury is undoubtedly the team’s best goaltender so far. Fleury has a 4-0-0 record with a 1.25 GAA and a .944 save percentage. And even though his save percentage has dropped a little bit, he has consistently made timely and crucial saves that kept the Golden Knights in every game he’s started.

end of 2

Us: 5
kings: 0

mood: pic.twitter.com/DhJM0x0fT7

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) February 6, 2021

Fleury’s unquestionably a future hall of famer when he decides to hang up the skates but he’s yet to win the Vezina Trophy in his career. The Vezina Trophy is given to the best performing goaltender during the regular season. And if Fleury can keep playing the way he’s playing now, there shouldn’t be a reason why he wouldn’t be considered a Vezina finalist.

Up Next on the Knightly Recap

The Golden Knights will face the Los Angeles Kings for the second time this season just before the big game tonight that is Super Bowl 55. After that, Vegas will have two more home games against the Anaheim Ducks. They’ll finish the week off by going on the road to San Jose to face off against their most heated rival, the San Jose Sharks, for the first time this season. Until then, stay tuned for the next Knighty Recap.