Braden Holtby playing dangerous mental game with Golden Knights

Braden Holtby handed the Vegas Golden Knights a goal in Game 3. It was intentional and the highlights the mental game being played between Holtby and the Knights.

Remember this save by Braden Holtby in Game 2?

Of course you do. It was the talk of the sports world the next day. It’s one of the greatest saves anyone has ever seen, especially when you factor in the circumstances. A GIF of this save will hang in the Hockey Hall of Fame one day. Yes, GIFs will soon by inducted into the Hall.

Members of the Vegas Golden Knights will tell you that it was just one save in one game. That, when the puck dropped to signify the start of Game 3, Holtby’s save in Game 2 doesn’t matter.

It mattered.

After peppering Holtby for five goals on 33 shots in Game 1 and getting 39 shots on him in Game 2, they managed just 22 shots on goal in Game 3. We can credit the Capitals defense and their ability to block shots. Or we can recognize that they were afraid of the Caps netminder.

The Vegas skaters didn’t want to be on the wrong end of another spectacular save. One, you can live with. Two, and no one remembers your magical first season. They’re already editing your Wikipedia page to have Braden Holtby listed as the owner.

Holtby recognized this in Game 3. He was bored through two periods, facing only 13 shots. So, what did he do?

Holtby has an easy clear on his forehand. Instead, he makes a dangerous backhand pass that ends up intercepted. Wanting Tomas Nosek and his teammates to feel better about things, he doesn’t make another GIF HOF save. He allows Vegas to score, giving their team some hope and confidence.

Now, we can say the move didn’t work as Vegas managed just five shots after the goal. This line of thinking fails to see the bigger picture.

Holtby wasn’t allowing Vegas back into the game when he gift-wrapped them a goal. He felt sorry for them. If they had managed 20 shots on goal in the final 16 minutes, he would have made 21 saves. They would have felt even worse about their chances heading into Game 4. The Golden Knights know a lucky break when they see one. By not falling into Holtby’s trap, they potentially push him to the point of overconfidence.

Holtby thinks the Knights are still afraid of him. He’s won the last two hands by hitting a flush on the river and then bluffing with a two-eight off suit, which he showed instead of mucking.

There’s a new hand to be played in Game 4.