At some point, things have to go the right way, and the Vegas Golden Knights are officially at that juncture.
On Wednesday, the Golden Knights get one last chance to get right on their road trip when they face the Detroit Red Wings.
Venue: Little Caesar’s Arena, Detroit, MI
Date: Wednesday, March 4
Time: 4:00pm PST
How To Watch: SCRIPPS, ESPN+
Radio: 1340 AM, 94.7 FM
Everything has started to fall apart for the Golden Knights as of late. They are riding a three-game losing streak, have dropped 10 of their last 14 contests, and the marks against playoff-bound opponents and during the early periods of games have reached serious levels of concern. Despite all of this, Vegas still paces the Pacific Division, but the need to figure things out and get to their game is critical.
Here is what the Golden Knights need to look for to finally get something in the right direction.
Keep it simple
There are some clear methods the Golden Knights can use to find ways to win, and it does not involve scoring on prevent defense when down by three goals like the last few games have gone.
The Golden Knights have to find ways to control the flow of the game from both ends of the ice. It means finding ways to pepper the opposing net with shots, forechecking and manufacturing efficient looks on set plays. If the Golden Knights can finally start on time and establish themselves early, they have already shown that they can pull away late.
Cole power
It is a quick turnaround for Cole Smith, who went from playing three seconds with the Nashville Predators on Tuesday to joining a whole new team tonight.
The 30-year-old winger, who was traded to Vegas on Tuesday, is expected to make his Golden Knights debut against Detroit. Smith is most noted as an energy player, boosting his team through hits, defensive acumen and penalty killing ability. If he can get Vegas some juice through his play, then they will be in good shape.
Pave the way
Even in a season rife with inconsistency, the Golden Knights have been able to rely on Pavel Dorofeyev to boost the offense.
Whether at even strength or on the power play, Dorofeyev has made his presence felt with a team-leading 29 goals. He has found instant chemistry with Mitch Marner, and is set for a nice pay raise when he hits restricted free agency after this season. He looks poised to smash his career high of 35 goals scored last season, and he hopes for his second consecutive year of hitting the 30-goal milestone tonight.