Series Tied: Vegas Golden Knights Defeat Winnipeg Jets in Game Two
The series between the Vegas Golden Knights and Winnipeg Jets is now tied at 1-1 (as all Western Conference series are for the first time since the 2010 playoffs). The series’ second win is staying at Nevada, with Golden Knight taking the Jets down 5-2.
The Jets repeated last game’s performance, with even more shots on goal than in the previous game (33 compared to 31), but the Golden Knights showed a completely different, much better performance with 39 shots.
Winnipeg had more blocks and hits and did little wrong collectively (although some individual performances were far from ideal). We cannot ask for a better game than this. Game Two showed that if both teams are at their best, Vegas is a better team overall.
The first two games between the Golden Knights and Jets are in the past.
The series will now continue in Canada with games 3 and 4, and as it stands, everything is open.
The top performer
Bruce Cassidy took my advice and decided to slow down with Stone. And here we go, with almost four minutes less (17:47) compared to the last game (21:28). He scored twice and assisted once, and no one is topping that.
The biggest disappointment
Mark Scheifele had just two shots on the goal, the lowest game score among Jets players with -1.73 (he had just three worse games during the season), zero hits (only player without a hit in this game), and four giveaways, which was the most among all players.
On top of that, he and Kyle Connor were sitting for the last 6 minutes of the hockey game, so it was a match to forget for Winnipeg forward.
The biggest surprise
In the last article, the biggest disappointment is now the biggest surprise. I didn’t expect Cassidy to start Laurent Brossoit, but he did, and Brossoit stepped up with a .939 save percentage, and he is now averaging more in the playoffs (.905) than the Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck (.893).
It looks like my critics helped him improve (you are welcome, Vegas fans). I was also surprised with the Golden Knights scratching Jonathan Quick, with Adin Hill replacing him. Yeah, you can say it doesn’t matter who the backup is, but this was a surprise.
The little hero
Jack Eichel. This might be silly compared to last game’s hero, Morgan Barron, but Eichel scored his first Stanley Cup Playoffs goal in his second playoff game to set up Vegas’ first lead in the series, so he is the little hero here.
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The big hero
Connor Hellebuyck. The second game and the second cut. Our little hero’s shot during the first period was so vigorous that it cut the Winnipeg goalie’s eyebrow. Fortunately, it wasn’t that bad, and Hellebuyck could continue after a few minutes with a plaster above his eye.