From the desk of Jesus Lopez, DEPORTES VEGAS 1460 AM:
Who is Pénjamo?
For several years now, on the DEPORTES VEGAS 1460 AM program, César Rodríguez, nicknamed "Pénjamo", has proposed a theorem. In this theory, he asserted that if the Vegas Golden Knights team achieved 75% of possible points at home and 50% of possible points on the road, the team would then secure its place in the NHL playoffs.
With 9 out of 10 possible points, the Vegas Golden Knights concluded a great series of games on the East Coast.
It's no surprise to anyone that the VGK is one of the best road teams in the NHL, and this last trip to the Eastern Conference pleasantly demonstrated this for the fans eager for their team to regain its prominence in the Pacific Division, and that's exactly where they are now, leading the teams in their division.
We started the road trip in New Jersey, settling the score against the New Jersey Devils with a 3-0 victory. Shea Theodore scored in the first period. In the third period, Tomas Hertl and Ivan Barbashev scored to make it 3-0, in addition to a great performance by Jack Eichel with two assists – this is where the points harvest began.
The second away game was against the New York Rangers. The legendary Madison Square Garden was the setting where the Vegas Golden Knights played the most dramatic game of the season on the ice of the Big Apple. In the first period, Brett Howden opened the scoring, 1-0. In the second period, Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafrenière cut the VGK's lead in half. But in the third period, which has proven succesful for the Golden Knights, Tomas Hertl tied the game 2-2 seconds away from lights out. To top it all off, and as always in a dramatic overtime, Jack Eichel finished off an exquisite pass from Shea Theodore with his characteristic finesse to give the team two more points on the road. The final score at MSG was 3-2.
The third game continued two blocks away, on Long Island, where the Golden Knights faced the New York Islanders. In the first period, Noah Hanifin and Mitch Marner scored, and Horvat scored for the Islanders to cut the Golden Knights' lead in half. In the second period, Marc Gatcomb and Simon Holmstrom scored for the Islanders, turning the game around. Ivan Barbashev tied the score in the third period with a tremendous effort, swinging an impressive one-handed slapshot. But a goal by Bo Horvat put the Islanders ahead again, and with a frantic finish with only 14 seconds remaining, Pavel Dorofeyev tied the game 4-4 with a rebound from close range against Sorokin to send the game into overtime. Well-executed but fruitless attacks led to a shootout.
In the three-on-three shootout, neither team scored, with a great performance in both nets between Sorokin and Carter Hart. The sudden-death shootout followed, where Shea Theodore was seconds away from a shootout victory, but the winning goal for the Islanders came from the stick of Emil Heineman. Once again, the "Penjamo" spirit was evident, as they salvaged 1 of 2 points on the road.
The fourth game was against the Philadelphia Flyers, in another epic encounter. In the first period, Zach Whitecloud put the Golden Knights ahead 0-1, and a few seconds later Trevor Zegras tied the game. In the second period, captain Mark Stone put the VGK ahead again with a display of unparalleled leadership and fighting spirit. Three minutes later, Noah Juulsen made it 2-2, leading to a strong third period where the defensive lines shone on both sides, forcing the Golden Knights to go to overtime once again. With an excellent assist from Jack Eichel, cappy Stone came through again and sealed the victory for the VGK with a great finish, adding two more points to their tally!
The fifth and final road game arrived against the Columbus Blue Jackets, where in the first period Charlie Coyle put Columbus ahead. In the second period, Pavel Dorofeyev tied the game at 1-1, restoring the team's confidence. In the third period, Yegor Chinakhov put the Ohio team ahead 2-2, but the lead wouldn't last long, as Mitch Marner (who had assisted on the VGK's first goal) added two more assists, this time collaborating with Ben Hutton and setting up Brayden McNabb's game-winning goal. The VGK came from behind to earn two more points, 9 out of a possible 10 in the road series. The 75/50 rule is starting to feel quite favorable.
Everything seems to indicate that the team has a strong chance of making the playoffs, considering Pénjamo's theory. However, all teams are subject to the competitiveness of their own division and their respective, distinct styles of hockey. The homework is done for now, but the year isn't over yet, and game strategies are constantly changing. The Atlantic Division has been very tight, with a four-way tie at the top between Tampa Bay, Detroit, Montreal, and Boston. These are somewhat unfamiliar rivals in the extremely competitive Pacific Conference.
Often, a good number of points doesn't guarantee a playoff spot; however, Pénjamo's theory truly supports the possibility of mathematically securing a playoff berth if approximately 100 points are reached, or a range between 95 and 105 points, depending on the division's competitiveness. If this road trip was an indicator of the potential and depth of this team, they will surely exceed all expectations of the rule itself, proposed so many years ago. Goals, injuries, and A LOT of ice to skate on...
What do you think of Cesar Rodríguez's theorem? We'll be featuring your ideas and comments in this column!
