Analysis: Golden Knights' hopes of a series rally rest largely with Eichel

Editor's note: Este artículo está traducido al español.

Going into his team’s current Stanley Cup Playoffs series against the Edmonton Oilers, Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy marveled at how star center Jack Eichel elevated his game the last time the two franchises faced off in the postseason.

Eichel proved instrumental in the 2023 second-round Golden Knights’ series win by hounding and ultimately limiting Oiler foils Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, getting loads of praise that Cassidy felt was well deserved.  

“I think any time you’re playing against those two guys, you’re under the spotlight with how you defend,” Cassidy said. “It’s just the way it is. … If you can get it done, you should get pat on the back because it’s not easy.”

Those words continue to ring true through two games of this year’s series, but Eichel is now experiencing the flip side of the challenge all because of one play.

McDavid treated Eichel like a traffic cone in blowing past him to facilitate the Game 2-winning goal in overtime Thursday night at T-Mobile Arena with a pass to Draisaitl. Eichel has drawn criticism and ridicule for his role in giving up the score to put the Oilers up 2-0 in the series.

But he’s a tough-minded professional and should be able to put the one bad moment behind him heading into Game 3 at 6 p.m. tonight at Edmonton’s Rogers Place.

The Golden Knights better hope that’s the case because if they have any prayer at staging a comeback against McDavid, Draisaitl and the Oilers, it’s going to come through their best player.

It’s going to come through Eichel.

Other players who have spoken to the media since Vegas’ heartbreaking 5-4 Game 2 loss have expressed confidence, and Eichel must have similar wherewithal.

“We’ve got to be ready for Saturday to take over,”  Golden Knights’ captain and Eichel linemate Mark Stone said. “We’re in an 0-2 hole going to Edmonton. It’s a long road, but it starts with one.”

Bouncing back after a rough series start isn’t without precedence for this team, not even this year. The Golden Knights trailed the Minnesota Wild 2-1 in the first round, and similarly refused to panic and honed back in on the task at hand to win the next three games and advance.

Cassidy challenged Eichel after he went without a point in the first three games against Minnesota, and the 28-year-old responded with five points in the final trio.

The difference this time around is Eichel's not slumping.

Aside from one play at a most inopportune moment, Eichel has been outstanding against Edmonton.

He was more like a concrete barrier standing in the way of McDavid and Draisaitl for the regulation portion of Game 2, helping keep the pair off the scoresheet.   

Eichel has made a major offensive impact too. He earned an assist on each of the Golden Knights’ first three Game 2 goals, and could have conceivably had one or two more.

He also set up defenseman Shea Theodore and Noah Hanifin with perfect passes that didn’t result in goals.

Perhaps he should have taken matters into his own hands and shot those pucks himself. Eichel’s offensive aggression is the one area where fans could reasonably ask for a little more.

He didn’t make a single shot attempt in Game 2 until the end of the second period with the Oilers leading 3-1. Naturally, it resulted in a goal with William Karlsson deflecting Eichel’s wrister into the net.

Shooting reluctance isn’t a new issue for this year’s Golden Knights, and it’s not just Eichel who can be accused of being too concerned with making extra passes.

Even in Game 2, Cassidy said he had a discussion with Victor Olofsson after he was tentative in between his pair of power-play goals.

“I was like, ‘Victor, you’re there … so shoot the puck if it shows up,’” Cassidy shared after the game. “Be selfish in those situations. I’m glad he shot the second one.”

Eichel did most of the work on the second one, hesitating with the puck to shift the Edmonton defense and firing a seam pass for Olofsson to bury on the other side of the net.

It was the right play, but Cassidy may still want to have a talk with Eichel that mirrors the message he imparted to Olofsson before Game 3.

The Golden Knights need Eichel to carry them offensively even more than he’s already done. Despite having four assists in the series, he’s yet to score a goal.

That must change.

It might sound unfair to put that large of an onus on a single player but it’s the standard expectation for a player who’s performed at the level Eichel has throughout this season.

He’s had a career year and almost certainly the best from a skater in team history with a franchise record 94 points.

All the individual success is going to be somewhat forgotten, however, if the Golden Knights fizzle out without a fight the rest of the way against the Oilers. The likeliest way that happens is if Eichel shows any ill effects from the unfortunate ending to Game 2.

It’s a heavy burden to shoulder, but a symptom of facing off against McDavid and Draisaitl.

“You’ve got to make it hard on them, try to make them earn every inch of ice,” Cassidy said Thursday. “We did that tonight. They got us at the end.”