Goaltending can be the great equalizer in today’s NHL. Great goaltending can mask a lot of problems and poor goaltending can underscore a team’s deficiencies.
As such, when Vegas Golden Knights No. 1 goalie Adin Hill suffered a lower body injury on October 20th, his team was in for some interesting times.
Vegas owned a record of 5-0-2 at the time of Hill’s injury and sat first in the NHL standings. Since then, the team has gone 6-6-6 with No. 2 goalie Akira Schmid and rookie Carl Lindbom sharing the duties.
Vegas also played a number of those games missing captain Mark Stone, center William Karlsson and defenseman Noah Hanifin.
Hanifin and Stone are back and have had a positive impact on the team.
Losing a No. 1 goalie for an extended period of time can be disastrous for a team. The Golden Knights so far have been able to tread water and continue to collect points to remain firmly in the playoff picture. Vegas awoke Sunday with an 11-6-8 record and third spot in the Pacific Division.
On Monday, NHL veteran Carter Hart will be eligible to join the team and could find his way into an NHL crease on Tuesday for the first time in almost two years. Lindbom earned his first NHL win on Saturday night for his part in a 4-3 win over division rival San Jose Sharks. Schmid has been solid and now owns a 9-2-4 record with a goals-against average of 2.51 and an .896 save percentage.
Lindbom had to wait until his seventh NHL start to get his first win and is now 1-4-2 with 3.14 goals-against and an .870 save percentage.
Hart has been practicing with the Golden Knights since his signing in October and has had three starts with the Henderson Silver Knights as part of a conditioning stint in the AHL. At his best, Hart is a difference maker in net. An elite talent with experience and a career .906 save percentage and 2.94 goals-against average.
Tough Decisions
Brandon Saad has played in 959 NHL games and won two Stanley Cups. Reilly Smith is an original Misfit with 943 NHL games and a Stanley Cup on his resume.
Scratching either of them is not a decision a coach can lightly make.
VGK Head Coach Bruce Cassidy took both Saad and Smith out of the lineup Saturday on the heels of a disappointing 4-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday. Cassidy inserted wingers Cole Reinhardt and Alexander Holtz citing a combination of performance issues and the fact the team was playing its fourth game in three nights making fresh legs a benefit.
Cassidy also held a meeting with his leadership group during the team’s morning skate on Saturday. The coach, Stone, Jack Eichel and Brayden McNabb met at center ice for close to five minutes. When asked about the discussion, Cassidy told the media he had missed the chance to talk with his leadership group prior to the skate but did not elaborate on what was discussed. Considering the team’s performance on Saturday night, the players seemed to respond well to their coach’s guidance.
Super Stone
Stone collected another assist on Saturday and now has a point in each of the nine games he has played this season (4-12--16). The captain leads the NHL with 1.78 points per game this season.
The 33-year-old played for Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off last winter and is a candidate to go to the Olympics in February. Team Canada management will meet next week and Stone and his return to play will likely be a conversation topic.
