Blackhawks Daily: Golden Knights Figuring It Out; Nazar’s Debut

The Chicago Blackhawks lost their final home game of the season but this game was all about the future as Frank Nazar scored in his NHL debut. Not every team had that mindset though as the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights had a very important game out in Las Vegas.

This was a battle between the last two Stanley Cup champions who each believe that they can win it again this year. For the Colorado Avalanche, things looked good early. They went up 3-0 thanks to some solid work from the best players on their team.

After that, however, is where the Knights showed the world that things are starting to come together for them. They came back from down 3-0 to win the game 4-3 in overtime.

Tomas Hertl deflected a Jack Eichel the game-winning shot into the back of the net for goals in consecutive games. This comeback showed that this Golden Knights team is never out of a game and everyone should fear them in the postseason.

They came back in this game, Hertl was the hero, Mark Stone is coming back soon, Noah Hanifin just got his extension done, and they have the momentum starting to move in their favor.

In the second half of the year, it hasn’t been as good for Vegas as we are used to seeing. Because of this slump, they may end up only being the second Wild Card team (they were the last team to clinch a playoff berth). If that is the case, it is truly bad luck for whoever wins the conference.

Even if another team is confident that they could get it done in a seven-game series, it can’t be fun to draw Vegas in the first round. They are playing well, they are getting healthier, and they all already know how to win deep in the playoffs. That’s a bad mix. The playoffs are where the Knights shine.

Blackhawks In Case You Missed It (A Whole Lotta Nazar)

• Chicago Blackhawks top prospect Frank Nazar scored a beauty in his first career NHL game. He is going to be a big part of their future.
• Blackhawks postgame chatter hears that the future is bright–but the Hawks have to stay in the present
• The Chicago Blackhawks have the second-best lottery odds and they clinched that on Sunday night.
• Frank Nazar‘s first year of his entry-level contract is burned by him starting in the NHL right now but that is a worthy risk for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Hockey Now Playoff Focus

• Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The Pittsburgh Penguins are trying to defy the odds and make the playoffs. There are a couple more games to go.
• Detroit Hockey Now: The Detroit Red Wings have no easy task with the Montreal Canadiens coming. They need to take them seriously despite their spot in the standing.
• Philadelphia Hockey Now: The Philadelphia Flyers season is not over quite yet. They still have a chance thanks to Travis Konecky.
• Boston Hockey Now: The Boston Bruins are looking to make some changes to their power play. That could be a key to their success in the postseason.