LAS VEGAS: It appeared early in the second quarter of Sunday night’s game against the Ottawa Senators that special teams may make all the difference. Up until that time, the Senators had successfully executed both of their power plays, while the Golden Knights had difficulty producing any type of look during their two efforts.
They proved to be the difference, although one that favoured Vegas. Ben Hutton’s power-play goal midway through the first period gave the Golden Knights the lead, which they would later double with to goals from Chandler Stephenson and William Karlsson in the third.
Vegas easily won 6-3 to raise their season record to 21-6-5, which is the best in the Western Conference. One of coach Bruce Cassidy’s main priorities coming into the season was the power play, which has been a sore area for the team for years.
With outstanding performance at even strength, the Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup. They also scored enough goals on the power play to avoid losing any games throughout the playoffs. Even under prior coaching staffs, the power play has never been a strength. But with a 23.5 percent use rate through the first three months of the season, Vegas’ power play is ranked 10th in the NHL.
What has changed for the long-suffering power play, because that’s the highest it’s been ranked in a long time?
The team’s perspective on the man advantage may need the most adjustment. It’s simple to lose hope after years of seeking for solutions when you make a shoddy power play. Cassidy thinks his team has moved beyond it much more successfully.
“Parking some of these ineffective power plays in-game and not letting them affect us all night and into the next day,” stated Cassidy, was one of the things the team has done well. “Let’s move on and let’s be a little more careful in whatever area we can, be it helping on a faceoff with a 50-50 puck or supporting the puck on an entry.”
The game on Sunday vs the Senators served as the ideal illustration of this mental adjustment. For Vegas, the first two power-play efforts produced very nothing. They had trouble getting into zones, and when they did get zone time, it was out of rhythm. They got back together, adjusted, and went to work.
Mark Stone, the team’s captain and leader in power play points with 12, stated, “(Cassidy) has been stressing it to us most of the year that you’re going to have bad power plays.” Edmonton’s power plays are poor. They do have poor power plays, but statistically speaking, they were the top power play of the previous season. It cannot affect you in any way. You have to be prepared for the next one, and this year we seem to have done a better job of it.
Confidence is a prerequisite for that mindset, and the power play of the Golden Knights has been lacking it for a while. They have lately matured and increased in both chemistry and maturity. New power-play units and concepts were introduced by Cassidy when he arrived. Beyond what is readily apparent.
