Nothing like a pivotal home stretch of the regular season to get the emotions running high.
On Saturday, Vegas Golden Knights forward Nic Dowd faces off against his former team for the first time when the Washington Capitals come to town.
Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, NV
Date: Saturday, March 28
Time: 7:30 pm PST
How To Watch: SCRIPPS, ESPN+
Radio: 1340 AM, 94.7 FM
On Mar. 5, the Golden Knights and Capitals completed a trade that sent Dowd to Vegas in exchange for goaltending prospect Jesper Vikman, a 2027 third-round pick and a 2029 second-round pick. The veteran center reunited with his former team on Friday, but made it clear that his focus was entirely on getting the Golden Knights two critical points.
“It's good to see the guys just from a non-hockey standpoint. It's good to see them, I've been with some of those guys for eight years and knowing some of those guys for longer, it's nice to see familiar faces," Dowd said after Friday’s practice. "The shock value has worn off of being kind of blindsided by the trade. Now we're here, we're settled... tomorrow will be business as usual."
Here is how Dowd and the Golden Knights can earn themselves a bit more breathing room in the standings.
Every point counts
The previous game against the Edmonton Oilers ended in a tough overtime loss, but a loser point was a relief after the regulation defeats piled up.
That said, the Golden Knights are not secure in their place for next month. They have a three-point lead on the Los Angeles Kings for third place in the Pacific Division, and it is looking increasingly likely that they will only receive three playoff bids. At this point, the Golden Knights have to conduct their own business and bank as many points as they possibly can.
Back on the horse
Even in defeat, the Golden Knights had to at least feel positive about the contributions they got.
Mark Stone finally found the back of the net for the first time since the Olympic break with two goals. Jack Eichel secured his first point in six games with an assist, and Ivan Barbashev and Pavel Dorofeyev continued to be productive with a goal and an assist, respectively. Vegas’ top stars finding the scoresheet has often coincided with strong stretches of play, so the hope is that the process can now lead to the right results.
Grease fire
Against Edmonton, the Golden Knights got a reminder of what playoff hockey is supposed to be.
The way to succeed in the postseason is to be willing to play physically. That means getting in front of the net to secure crucial second chance goals, as well as finish checks and win battles along the boards. The 2023 Stanley Cup-winning Golden Knights adopted the mantra ‘it hurts to win,’ and it is starting to reach that point again.