As the Vegas Golden Knights get set to face the Edmonton Oilers in their second-round matchup, there’s growing concern over one of their star players: defenseman Alex Pietrangelo . The blueliner, who’s been battling injuries all season, wasn’t exactly firing on all cylinders in Vegas ’ first-round series against Minnesota. With Connor McDavid and the Oilers on the horizon, questions are rising about whether Pietrangelo can handle the pressure or if he’s a potential weak link for the Knights.
Alex Pietrangelo’s struggles raise concerns for Vegas Golden Knights
Chris Gawlik, a prominent voice on the Locked On Vegas podcast, hasn’t held back when expressing his worries about Pietrangelo’s play. He pointed out that Pietrangelo’s recent performance against the Minnesota Wild was far from reassuring. Missing the Four Nations tournament to rest up didn’t seem to solve much, and Gawlik noticed the struggles in the defensive zone, particularly against the Wild’s top players.
“ Alex Pietrangelo is a major wild card question mark of this series,” Gawlik said. “Anyone that watched the last round, watched Kirill Kaprizov and more importantly, Matt Boldy, just do circles around the entire Golden Knights defense. Last couple of games, Matt Boldy, he just basically made Alex Pietrangelo become a turnstile.”
It’s one thing to be beaten on the ice, but Gawlik also pointed out some fundamental defensive mistakes.
“It was a terrible defensive play a few different times from Pietrangelo, where Boldy just went right around him. Pietrangelo was a passenger on some key goals in the series as well,” Gawlik added.
There’s a bit of hope, though. Gawlik mentioned that the extra days off between games might help Pietrangelo get closer to full health. While the ailment hasn’t gone away, he believes that a little extra rest could make a big difference.
“He sat out the Four Nations to deal with the quote unquote ‘ailments.’ That ailment has not gone away by any means,” Gawlik explained. “But... I believe it’s going to be six calendar days, five calendar days between games. Both teams have had a chance to get a little bit healthier. If Pietrangelo goes from 64 percent to about 79 percent with this time off, then the Golden Knights I think will be okay.”
With McDavid coming at them, Vegas has already adjusted their lines. The trio of Jack Eichel , William Karlsson, and Mark Stone will be tasked with slowing down the Oilers’ superstar. Gawlik noted, “You don’t neutralize McDavid, but you certainly slow him down… They will be out there shadowing McDavid any second he is out there.”
But, Gawlik didn’t hold back when discussing Pietrangelo’s potential impact: “If Pietrangelo is the same version of himself in round one, McDavid, he might reverse his stat line from two goals and nine assists to nine goals and two assists by Game 3.”
As the Golden Knights prepare for what could be a high-speed, high-scoring series against the Oilers, they’re banking on Pietrangelo to step up. If he can find a way to shake off the injury struggles and get back to his elite level, Vegas will be in a better spot. But if he continues to be a liability, McDavid and company could be in for a field day. Time will tell, but one thing’s for sure—the pressure’s on Pietrangelo.
Also Read: Toronto Maple Leafs take game 1 as William Nylander dominates against Florida Panthers
Alex Pietrangelo’s struggles raise concerns for Vegas Golden Knights
Chris Gawlik, a prominent voice on the Locked On Vegas podcast, hasn’t held back when expressing his worries about Pietrangelo’s play. He pointed out that Pietrangelo’s recent performance against the Minnesota Wild was far from reassuring. Missing the Four Nations tournament to rest up didn’t seem to solve much, and Gawlik noticed the struggles in the defensive zone, particularly against the Wild’s top players.
“ Alex Pietrangelo is a major wild card question mark of this series,” Gawlik said. “Anyone that watched the last round, watched Kirill Kaprizov and more importantly, Matt Boldy, just do circles around the entire Golden Knights defense. Last couple of games, Matt Boldy, he just basically made Alex Pietrangelo become a turnstile.”
It’s one thing to be beaten on the ice, but Gawlik also pointed out some fundamental defensive mistakes.
“It was a terrible defensive play a few different times from Pietrangelo, where Boldy just went right around him. Pietrangelo was a passenger on some key goals in the series as well,” Gawlik added.
There’s a bit of hope, though. Gawlik mentioned that the extra days off between games might help Pietrangelo get closer to full health. While the ailment hasn’t gone away, he believes that a little extra rest could make a big difference.
“He sat out the Four Nations to deal with the quote unquote ‘ailments.’ That ailment has not gone away by any means,” Gawlik explained. “But... I believe it’s going to be six calendar days, five calendar days between games. Both teams have had a chance to get a little bit healthier. If Pietrangelo goes from 64 percent to about 79 percent with this time off, then the Golden Knights I think will be okay.”
With McDavid coming at them, Vegas has already adjusted their lines. The trio of Jack Eichel , William Karlsson, and Mark Stone will be tasked with slowing down the Oilers’ superstar. Gawlik noted, “You don’t neutralize McDavid, but you certainly slow him down… They will be out there shadowing McDavid any second he is out there.”
But, Gawlik didn’t hold back when discussing Pietrangelo’s potential impact: “If Pietrangelo is the same version of himself in round one, McDavid, he might reverse his stat line from two goals and nine assists to nine goals and two assists by Game 3.”
As the Golden Knights prepare for what could be a high-speed, high-scoring series against the Oilers, they’re banking on Pietrangelo to step up. If he can find a way to shake off the injury struggles and get back to his elite level, Vegas will be in a better spot. But if he continues to be a liability, McDavid and company could be in for a field day. Time will tell, but one thing’s for sure—the pressure’s on Pietrangelo.
Also Read: Toronto Maple Leafs take game 1 as William Nylander dominates against Florida Panthers
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