The only thing the Vegas Golden Knights need right now is anything to break out of this current downward spiral.
On Tuesday, the Golden Knights hope that a brief stint on the road is the cure for their troubles when they take on the Dallas Stars.
Venue: American Airlines Arena, Dallas, TX
Date: Tuesday, March 10
Time: 5:00 PST
How To Watch: SCRIPPS, ESPN+
Radio: 1340 AM, 94.7 FM
When it rains, it pours, and the Golden Knights must feel like they have been caught in a flood. With losses in five of their last seven games and the Pacific Division starting to tighten up, a playoff berth feels like it is no longer a guarantee. If Vegas is ever going to live up to “sleeping giant” status, it will have to happen soon to prevent what could end up being serious changes this summer.
Optimism is in short supply right now, but here are some things the Golden Knights have to look at if they want to pull off an upset.
Stay off the tracks
Unlike the Golden Knights, the Stars have looked every part of a Stanley Cup contender come April.
There is no hotter team in the NHL at the moment than the Stars, who come into tonight’s contest on an 11-game point streak (10-0-1). The only loss they have in that span was a shootout loss to the inevitable President’s Trophy winnning Colorado Avalanche. It would not be a shock to see the Stars representing the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Final, so a victory on the road would be a nice feather in the Goldrn Knights’ cap.
Alexa, play The Killers
The number one aspect the Golden Knights cannot afford to fall behind in is on the power play.
The Stars boast the second-best power play in the NHL with a 29.9 percent success rate, lead by Wyatt Johnston’s league-leading 21 goals. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights have killed eight straight penalties since March 2, including a shorthanded goal from Jack Eichel in the previous game against the Edmonton Oilers. For Vegas to break out of their current cold spell, that success down a man has to continue.
Test up the middle
Center depth has emerged as a problem for both teams heading into this game.
The position has been an issue for the Golden Knights all season, requiring Mitch Marner to play center for most of the year and necessitating the move for Nic Dowd at the trade deadline. Meanwhile, the Stars are without two of their better faceoff players in Roope Hintz and Radek Faksa. Keeping an edge and getting extra possessions will be imperative against a high-powered Stars team, so expect Bruce Cassidy to try and find matchups that work for his team.