It took some time, but the Vegas Golden Knights are finally seeing their fortunes turn for the better.
On Tuesday, the Golden Knights hope Lady Luck continues to smile down on them as a fruitful homestand continues against the Buffalo Sabres.
Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, NV
Date: Tuesday, March 17
Time: 7:00 PST
How To Watch: SCRIPPS, ESPN+
Radio: 1340 AM, 94.7 FM
The last time out, the Golden Knights put together one of their more complete performances of the season, shutting out the Chicago Blackhawks. The victory put the Golden Knights back in first place in the Pacific Division, although the Anaheim Ducks would reclaim it in between games. Still, optimism is starting to show itself again, and a surge in momentum could get the Golden Knights back in respectable shape in the months ahead.
With the playoffs on the horizon, here is how the Golden Knights can take on one of the league’s hottest upstarts.
Road warriors
The 14-year postseason drought seems to finally be reaching an end for the Sabres, and their play on the road has been a major factor.
The Sabres have won 17 of their last 20 games away from Buffalo, making them a more formidable opponent than in years past. However, this will be the first game in a West Coast swing for the Sabres, and the Golden Knights have seen for themselves how difficult the first legs of cross-country road trips can be. If the Golden Knights can establish themselves early, they can get into position to take advantage if the Sabres run out of gas late.
Peaks and valleys
Roller coasters might not be the best way to go through a season, but the Golden Knights certainly seem to be back on the upswing.
Several major factors such as early multi-goal deficits and a lack of timely saves have seen the Golden Knights pile up more losses than anticipated. That has seemed to change as of late, however, with the Golden Knights racking up three goals in the first 12 minutes against Chicago, as well as Adin Hill finding a good run of form over the past few games. For the points to continue rolling in, Vegas will have to continue handling their business as they have to start the homestand.
Neutralize the advantage
The additions of Cole Smith and Nic Dowd have paid off on the defensive end, with the most notable impact coming on the penalty kill.
Since March 3, the Golden Knights lead the league with a 95% success rate when killing penalties, with the only goal on 20 tries being a batted-in puck from Jamie Benn of the Dallas Stars. It will be put to the test against the Sabres, who boast the fifth-best power play (26.1 percent) in the same span. The key to closing out the season and beyond is finding ways to cancel out the strengths of the opposition, and the Golden Knights have a chance to prove that point.
