Wednesday Knight Wisdom: Bruce Cassidy Is Gambling

Las Vegas is known for its nightlife, casinos, and gambling. Whether playing blackjack, roulette, or slots, it’s a hallmark for Sin City to go big on the theme. Therefore, it’s fitting that Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy took a big gamble and shifted the lineup around before Game 5. The result? A 3-2 loss where everything unraveled in the second period.

Cassidy shuffled the lineup around on Wednesday, putting Pavel Dorofeyev on the second line. The Russian forward did earn his keep this season, scoring 13 goals in the regular season. Ben Hutton was also added to the lineup, giving him valuable playoff experience. The defenseman also had three blocked shots in the game, adding two takeaways and a hit in Game 5.

But the questionable switch came in the net, with Adin Hill starting Game 5 instead of Logan Thompson. After having a memorable Game 3 and stopping 43 shots, Thompson was taken out in favor of Hill. How did he do? He stopped 22 shots and allowed three goals in the Game 5 loss.

It’s not to say that Thompson would’ve been better in net. After all, that’s why they play the game of hockey. But Thompson’s recent track record suggests the Vegas Golden Knights would’ve been better off playing him in net. The Calgary native has proven his worth in recent months, making ridiculous saves and keeping the Golden Knights in nearly every game.

However, it isn’t just Cassidy’s questionable decisions hurting the Vegas Golden Knights. Alex Pietrangelo took a bad penalty in the second period, sucker-punching Tyler Seguin with a backhanded punch. The aftermath? The Dallas Stars take the 3-2 lead on a Jason Robertson power play goal. That proved to be the game-winner, with the Golden Knights now facing elimination. Of course, this isn’t the first time the defenseman has done this (see Leon Draisaitl). However, it might’ve cost Vegas the series against the Stars.