The Vegas Golden Knights had the Dallas Stars stunned after winning the first two games of the series in Dallas. Stars coach Pete DeBoer was a man defeated during the game two post game presser.
“They’re the Stanley Cup champions, they’ve got everyone figured out,” DeBoer said after game two. “They figured out everyone last year too, right?”
Everything was looking good for the Golden Knights, with the series shifting to Vegas for games three and four. The Golden Knights performed well at T-Mobile Arena down the stretch. It seemed likely the Golden Knights would be looking to eliminate the Stars in four of five games.
Then DeBoer figured out the Golden Knights.
Per Natural Stat Trick, the Stars generated 42 high-danger chances in games three and four to the Golden Knights’ 14. In my best Harry Doyle voice from the movie, “Major League.”
“That’s all we got, 14 goddamn high danger chances?”
I’m not sure if I can say goddamn in this article, that’s what editors are for.
Golden Knights fans remember DeBoer best for his inability to make crucial adjustments in big games. Raise your hand if you remember the 2020 playoffs when the Golden Knights charged out to a 3-1 series lead vs. the Vancouver Canucks.
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DeBoer nearly lost that series for the Golden Knights by sticking with the simple “spray and pray” plan.
This is not the 2020 version of DeBoer. It is a very new and improved version. The new and improved DeBoer has outcoached Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy over the last two games.
DeBoer loaded up a line with Wyatt Johnston, Roope Hintz, and Jason Robertson. Cassidy has not had an answer for that line.
The Golden Knights are great at generating chances off of the rush. Coach Cassidy’s defensive system is not supposed to allow many odd-man rushes.
The Golden Knights have not generated much off the rush this series, and it feels like the Stars are getting odd-man rushes every other minute.
Cassidy has not been able to execute a secondary plan to slow down the Stars constant attack and for the Golden Knights to generate scoring chances. The Stars are forcing everything to the outside and the Golden Knights are not generating quality shots from the point.
Credit Cassidy for making a move that paid immediate dividends. Trade deadline acquisition Anthony Mantha was a healthy scratch in game four in favor or Michael Amadio. Amadio scored the first goal and was one of the few bright spots for the Golden Knights.
What Options Does Cassidy Have?
We can start with Pavel Dorofeyev entering the lineup. Dorofeyev has 20 goals in 67 career games. The Golden Knights can use his scoring touch.
It might be time to break up the line of Jack Eichel, Jonathan Marchessault, and Ivan Barbashev. Eichel has been effective in every game. The same can not be said of Barbashev and Marchessault.
It would be fun to see Hertl and Eichel on a line together. Hertl has great net-front presence and Eichel is great at creating space in the offensive zone. Eichel with Marchessault and Hertl could be a matchup nightmare for the Stars.
The Golden Knights went 8-2-1 with Ben Hutton in the lineup down the stretch. A strong case can be made for Hutton to enter the lineup in favor of Alec Martinez or Zach Whitecloud.
It is safe to assume that there will be multiple changes to Cassidy’s lineup when the Stars and Golden Knights meet in Dallas for game five.
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Outcoached? Imdon’t agree at all. Game e the VGK as a team were a step slow and flat…not a ‘outcoached issue’. Game 4, 2 fluky goals (off the bar, mask and in and off a chest) don’t mean outcoached. As far as line break-ups there may be a point there but rather speculative.