Arizona Coyotes @ Vegas Golden Knights
Three Studs
Connor Ingram
Ingram was lights out against the defending champs and looked every bit the part of a number one goalie. He and Vejmelka have seemingly flipped roles, as last year Ingram was the streaky one and Vejmelka was the solid starter. Ingram was the main reason the Coyotes won this game, as he shut down everything Vegas threw at him. The result was a 2-0 Coyotes win and Ingram’s second career shutout.
Jason Zucker
While only accounting for 13:57 TOI, Zucker absolutely made the most of it. He was around the puck every time he was out there, generating offensive plays and stepping up defensively. He blocked multiple shots and was also physical on the ice.
The Coyotes Fourth Line
Next to Lawson Crouse, the Coyotes’ fourth line was the group that generated the most offensive pressure. They made the most of their limited time and their play was noticed and rewarded by Head Coach André Tourigny, as they received a good amount of shifts during crunch time in the third period. It’s great to have a fourth line you can trust as much as your top lines, especially in games like this where it comes down to the wire and not much offense has been generated.
Three Duds
The Blue Line
The blue liners as a whole did not play well against Vegas. They were consistently beaten and on the chase, giving up multiple breakaways that Ingram turned away. They also committed turnovers and gave up the zone far too often. Ingram bailed them out big time in this game.
The Power Play
Again the power play was nonexistent and could not generate anything when given the opportunity. They have gone ice cold, going 0 for 12 over their past four games.
The Forecheck and Offensive Zone Time
From puck drop the Coyotes struggled to establish the offensive zone. The few times they were able to do so, they played aggressively and kept up the pressure. But far too often the result was a one-and-done or establishing the offensive zone for a minimal amount of time. This team is young, exciting, and growing, but they will have struggles throughout the season if they cannot become more consistent.
As a bonus, Coyotes Assistant Equipment Manager Tony Silva got some well-deserved recognition during the broadcast. The game against Vegas was his 2,000th NHL game.