Winnipeg Jets vs. Vegas Golden Knights: 3 Takeaways From Game 1

3. Knights’ Top Line Needs Help

The Vegas Golden Knights have one of the most stellar top forward lines in the NHL. William Karlsson, Reilly Smith, and Jonathan Marchessault have continued their outstanding regular season successes during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

On Saturday night, they played a part in both of the Knights’ goals. Smith and Marchessault picked up the assists on Brayden McNabb‘s goal and Karlsson scored the second. Each member of the trio finished the evening with an even-strength CorsiFor percentage of over 50 percent.

However, they didn’t get too much help from the other forwards. As great as Smith, Karlsson, and Marchessault are, the Winnipeg Jets are an extremely deep team. They have three great forward lines who can score. It doesn’t matter that Smith, Karlsson, and Marchessault have 12, 11, and 13 points in 11 games respectively if the other lines can’t produce.

Alex Tuch, David Perron, and James Neal each have seven points in 11 games. Considering that’s roughly a 50 point average over 82 games, that’s not awful. But they need to do more to help out their top forward line.

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Their bottom six in particular hasn’t been putting up points. Combined, the Vegas Golden Knights’ third and fourth forward lines have 16 points in the postseason. Nearly half of them (seven) are from Tuch. Take him away and that’s nine points in 11 games.

The Vegas Golden Knights need much more from their other forwards if they want to beat the Jets.

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