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Golden Knights even series with Sharks on night of wild swings

By Ryan DadounApr 13, 2019, 1:20 AM EDT
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This was a game of wild momentum swings and certainly had controversy, but when all was said-and-done, Vegas earned a 5-3 victory over San Jose to even the series at 1-1.

Early on, it didn’t look like this contest would be nearly as dramatic. Cody Eakin, Colin Miller, and Max Pacioretty each scored within the first 6:11 minutes of the game to chase Sharks goaltender Martin Jones.

Jones held his own in Game 1, but the 2018-19 campaign was a rough one for him and it raised questions about if the Sharks are truly a serious Stanley Cup contender with him between the pipes. Certainly this game did nothing to silence his critics, but San Jose’s night was far from over. With Aaron Dell now in net, the Sharks stormed back.

Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl, and Joe Thornton scored within the span of just 2:09 minutes late in the first period and suddenly the game was actually tied going into the first intermission.

Things seemed to continue to go San Jose’s way when Brent Burns‘ shot beat Marc-Andre Fleury early in the second period. However, the goal was called back because Logan Couture’s elbow swung into Fleury’s head. The fact that the goal was waived off is something that most probably agree with, but it seems safe to say that Sharks fans and the Sharks themselves take issue with the goaltender inference penalty. To make matters worse for San Jose, that penalty proved to be critical as Mark Stone scored the game-winner on the subsequent power play.

Still, it would be wrong to suggest that San Jose was simply robbed Friday night, even if you do disagree with that call. The Sharks had eight power-play opportunities to Vegas’ three. Not only did San Jose only score on one of those power-play chances, but they surrendered two shorthanded goals, including one to William Karlsson at 7:35 of the third period to give the Golden Knights some breathing room.

Between Jones’ sloppy start and San Jose’s less than stellar showing when it came to special teams, it’s not hard to see how Vegas won this one.

Sharks-Golden Knights Game 3 from T-Mobile Arena will be Sunday night at 10:00 p.m. ET on NBCSN

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Ryan Dadoun is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @RyanDadoun.

Golden Knights make quick work of Martin Jones in Game 2

By Ryan DadounApr 12, 2019, 11:28 PM EDT

The biggest question for the San Jose Sharks going into the playoffs was if goaltender Martin Jones was up to the task of leading them to a championship. On Friday, we got a reminder as to why there are such serious concerns about him.

Looking to bounce back from a 5-2 loss in Game 1, Vegas came out strong Friday night. Cody Eakin scored just 58 seconds into the game. That goal wasn’t necessarily on Jones, but then Colin Miller scored at 4:37 and Max Pacioretty made it 3-0 at 6:11.

Unlike the Eakin goal, the other two looked like ones Jones should have stopped so it’s not surprising that he was yanked in favor of Aaron Dell. Jones doesn’t have a great resume against Vegas and this only added to that history of misery for him.

After the goaltending change, the Sharks battled back to tie it at 3-3 before the first intermission, but still ended up losing 5-3. The series is still just tied at 1-1, but Vegas’ quick work of Jones serves as a reminder of the larger concern with the Sharks.

Sharks-Golden Knights Game 3 from T-Mobile Arena will be Sunday night at 10:00 p.m. ET on NBCSN

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Ryan Dadoun is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @RyanDadoun.

Golden Knights need to let Colin Miller out of playoff doghouse

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By James O'BrienApr 12, 2019, 1:16 PM EDT
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The Vegas Golden Knights know they need to make changes heading into Game 2 against the San Jose Sharks on Friday night (10:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN; Live stream), but perhaps they’re learning the wrong lessons.

To head coach Gerard Gallant, Vegas wasn’t “hungry” enough in a convincing 5-2 Game 1 loss, while defenseman Jon Merrill emphasized the perceived need for the Golden Knights to check Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson early and often, as the Athletic’s Jesse Granger notes.

We could debate the merits of that plan for quite a while, actually. After all, wouldn’t you think every playoff opponent in existence would want to make life miserable for top-flight defensemen, especially a smaller one like Karlsson? You could probably file that under “Easier said than done,” as if you go too far out of your way to try to hit Karlsson, you might just give him the extra space he covets to send silky-smooth passes. See: his brilliant pass to Evander Kane in Game 1, among many, many, other examples of transition and offensive brilliance.

But, honestly, those tactical tweaks aren’t as important as putting the right players in the lineup.

This discussion starts with the most crucial point: Gallant needs to put Colin Miller back in the mix.

[NBC 2019 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF HUB]

There are a number of choices for who to bring back out to make room for Miller. Nick Holden was the defenseman who seemed to bump Miller in Game 1, and Miller would be an upgrade there. It might be a tough sell to Gallant (who loves his bruisers) to consider scratching Deryk Engelland, but it should be a consideration, too. Engelland struggled possession-wise in Game 1, and while he exceeded expectations since joining the Golden Knights, the bottom line is that he tends to be under water on a nightly basis.

Really, if Gallant is really being stubborn, you could argue for going with a seven-defensemen, 11-forward set … although that might require scratching Ryan Reaves, which might be an even tougher (though possibly valid) sell.

Whoever you’d move out of the lineup, Miller’s the type of player you really want in your mix, especially when every lineup decision counts against a hauntingly deep team like the Sharks. The 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs seem like the wrong time for refusing to give up on “sentimental favorites” like Reaves, Engelland, or Holden (the latter standing out, particularly because it might be an argument Gallant would truly consider).

Miller looms as an upgrade from a wide variety of perspectives. Take his potential transition impact compared to Holden, via CJ Turturo’s visualization (which uses Corey Sznajder’s data):

If bar charts and so-called “fancy stats” aren’t your thing, consider that Miller does the really obvious stuff. That includes scoring.

Last season was a breakout year for Miller, as he scored 10 goals and 41 points during the 2017-18 regular season, then tied for second among Golden Knights defensemen with seven points during their run to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final.

My guess is that a colder 2018-19 season (three goals, 29 points in 65 games) may partially explain Miller’s doghouse residence, alongside some specific turnover that probably stuck in Gallant’s craw. Generating 29 points in an abbreviated season still ranks as useful offense, particularly if the bar is merely “getting in the lineup,” and Miller’s puck luck (career-low 2.3 shooting percentage this season, versus a career average of 4.9 percent) could very well warm up when it matters the most.

The Golden Knights lack that Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson-type game-changer on defense, but they have the potential to manufacture offense from a group that’s still pretty effective. Shea Theodore and Nate Schmidt can help in that regard, but Miller’s up there in being among the most potent scorers from Vegas’ blueline. Miller also grades well from just about every analytics metric, particularly if you’re comparing him to bottom-of-the-order players.

So, sure, Gallant, ask your players to be “hungrier.” Just reconsider which players you’re sending to the dinner table.

Golden Knights – Sharks Game 2 from The SAP Center will be Friday night at 10:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. (Livestream)

For more on Friday’s Game 2 matchups, read The Wraparound.

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James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.

Golden Knights get good value in Miller extension

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By Scott BilleckJul 7, 2018, 5:52 PM EDT
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Talented right-handed defenseman seldom come cheap in the National Hockey League these days.

So, Vegas Golden Knights general manager George McPhee did well on Saturday when he locked up Colin Miller on a four-year, $15.5 million extension.

That’s great value for Miller and the Stanley Cup finalists. The deal makes Miller the team’s top paid defenseman with an annual average value of $3.875 million per annum and the contract doesn’t make McPhee look bad if Miller decides to regress in the future.

Miller certainly earned the extension with his play on the puck and away from it this past season.

The Sault Ste. Marie native led all Golden Knights defenseman in scoring during the regular season with 10 goals and 41 points, career highs for Miller, who was taken by Vegas from the Boston Bruins in the expansion draft last summer.

Miller was also effective for the Golden Knights’ run to the Stanley Cup Final, recording three goals and seven points in 20 games.

Beyond his point production, Miller was near the top of the league in puck possession metrics, ending the season in which he played all 82 games with a 55.63 CF% and had 1.6 points per 60 minutes played.

His off the puck helped Vegas get into the top 10 in terms of fewest goals allowed.

Gerard Gallant rolled Miller out extensively throughout the season boosting his time-on-ice by nearly four minutes (19:21 per game) than his previous year in Boston (15:49). He also got a minute more on the power play per game (2:27) and

The deal avoids arbitration with Miller and will put the Golden Knights counting close to $65 million against the salary cap for this upcoming season, which is locked in at $79.5 million.

Vegas can now start sorting out what they’re going to pay William Karlsson, who elected for salary arbitration last week.

Fellow restricted free agent Shea Theodore also needs a deal.

Scott Billeck is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @scottbilleck