(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)
You’ve read the doom, and you’ve heard the gloom, but maybe through 41 games the glass isn’t half empty for the Golden Knights. While Vegas is in the bottom third in wins and goals scored, they are among the first half leaders in other categories.
This season the Golden Knights have had moments of success and 12 overtime losses. Nevertheless, Vegas is on pace for 96 points and has a real chance at another Pacific Division championship banner. Based on the wild-card chase, first place in the division might have a softer path to the conference finals.
After 41 games, here are some offensive statistics the Golden Knights place in the top ten.
VGK’s First Half Top Ten Offensive Rankings
- 1st Period Goals Scored: 40 (9th)
- Backhand Shot Goals: 18 (3rd)
- Backhand Shot Percentage: 18.9% (3rd)
- Face Off Percentage: 51.8% (8th)
- Net Positive Shots Per Game: +4.1 (3rd)
- Power Play Percentage: 25.5 (5th)
- Shots Per Game: 29.0 (9th)
- Snap Shot Percentage: 13.5% (7th)
- Win Percentage Up 3 Goals: .538 (10th)
- Wins Outshooting Opponent: 14 (4th)
- Wrist Shots On Net: 608 (9th)
- Wraparound Percentage: 33.3% (2nd)
To no surprise, the Golden Knights power play is one of the most threatening units again under coach Bruce Cassidy. This is the third time his club has had a top ten power play unit by the midway of the point of the season. Power play specialists Pavel Dorofeyev and Tomas Hertl have combined for 18 PPGs through the first 41 games. Many nights, opponents are forced to pick their poison while trying to prevent a pretty Jack Eichel assist.
Another constant is Vegas’ shot volume under Cassidy. Currently, the Golden Knights are in the top ten with 29 shots per game. That’s the fourth time VGK has been among the league’s highest in shots per game since 2022-23.
Interestingly enough to note, Vegas is highly accurate in certain types of shots. For example, the club is third in backhand shot percentage and seventh in snap shot success. Mr. Backhand, Reilly Smith added to VGK’s total in last night’s overtime victory in Winnipeg. Unfortunately, the NHL doesn’t consider Mark Stone’s jam shot as a full wraparound. So as of right now, the Captain is without a wraparound attempt this season. However, Mitch Marner was credited with a successful video game-like wraparound goal in late November.
VGK’s First Half Top Ten Defensive Rankings
- Fewest Penalties Taken: 124 (2nd)
- Fewest Penalty Minutes: 298 (3rd)
- Fewest 3rd Period Goals Allowed: 34 (3rd)
- Fewest Shots Allowed Per Gm: 24.9 (2nd)
- Net Positive Penalties: +20 (6th)
- Penalty Kill Percentage: 81.8% (8th)
Through 41 games, Vegas has successfully managed to hold opponents to the second-lowest amount of shots taken per game. It’s the lowest average allowed in the first half in Golden Knights team history.
Nobody should be shocked that Vegas is one of the least penalized teams in the NHL. It’s their third time in the last four seasons to have committed the first or second least amount of penalties by Game #41. Just like years past, when Vegas serves time for an infraction, Cassidy simply activates his top ten penalty kill unit.
Overall, in the Cassidy era, at the halfway point of the season, Vegas is accustomed to being in the top ten in almost every important statistic. Goals allowed, goals scored, regulation victories, even-strength goals, etc. It’s a been challenging first half for the Golden Knights but despite the inconsistencies, they enter today as the 1st place team in the Pacific Division.
Walt
leading the relegation division, aka Pacific, is not exactly much more than a backhanded compliment.
especially with only 18 wins, which is tied with Columbus who are dead last in the east, and ahead of only the bottom feeders in the west.
Pistol Pete
In injecting that little bit of negativity you conveniently overlook the L’s (no we don’t lump OTL’s with L’s) which with just 11 is tied for third lowest with MIN (only COL and DAL have fewer). Low L’s means a team is hard to beat in regulation an important metric. Franky that OT wins have been hard to come by matters less than the “loser” points you get. OT is basically a toss up. Ask the players it’s not real 5 on 5 hockey though personally I enjoy watching it. Ask the Avs too they they have not won that many of them either.
JB
Thank you that the pac Div is as weak as it is this year. Means we still have a decent chance to make the playoffs. That’s the only goal now. I’m not sure we will have the ability to improve drastically at trade deadline to be a real cup contender? So the POs are a chance to see if we can get an ups3t or two!
Aaron
Trying not to play lawless an order here as some of the concerns moving forward are legit, still, we win 7 of those 12 OTL’s we’re neck and neck with the Wild and Stars in the West and there’s a completely different narrative. Are we good right now? No. Can you argue there’s been SOME flukey things? Yes. Time will tell.
Richie-Rich
I am not giving up on this team, but they sure need a bit of puck luck that has been absent since the beginning of the season. But let me also say that I turned off the WPG game after period 2, even after Stone’s goal. What we saw in this game for the first 40 minutes, and for just about every other game in recent weeks is a team that has no energy, lack of aggressive play, inability to be the first to the puck. It’s clearly evident that something is wrong. Opposing teams seem to have a lot more energy, drive and passion for 60 minutes. It almost seems like the team is just trying to play Cassidy’s system, very mechanical and planned for most of the game. It’s only when they get behind that they seem to get energized.
With that said, we are lucky to be in the Pacific. I am not too concerned about making the playoffs. I just hope Cassidy can figure this out and get this team headed back in the right direction with wins and +/-.
Scott
RR, this is all very true. I turned the game off in the middle of Period 2 and went to dinner with my wife. Lo and behold, the comeback was on! I watched the replay later last night, and I can say that the VGK team that played in the 3rd Period was a team I have not seen for weeks. Fast, aggressive, fearless, hair-on-fire style of play. It shows this team certainly can play up to this standard. Will they finally do it???
Emmanuel
You can do both dinner & hockey, go to a bar & grill…..
Pistol Pete
“What we saw in this game for the first 40 minutes, and for just about every other game in recent weeks is a team that has no energy, lack of aggressive play, inability to be the first to the puck. It’s clearly evident that something is wrong. Opposing teams seem to have a lot more energy, drive and passion for 60 minutes.”
R-R did we watch the same game or you are confusing lack of energy lack of aggression etc. etc. with for whatever reason problems getting the puck in the back of the net especially early in the game?
I watched that game. From puck drop both teams played with speed and intensity. They were all over each other tying each other up. Both teams advanced through the neutral zone encountering a well defended zone.
If you were not a player as I was it’s possible you are less tuned into the skill and athletic ability it takes to advance to this level. Every NHL player is elite compared to those not good enough to make the league which is like 99.99% of everbody including guys like me who were good enough to play in high school. That is why any team can hurt any other team on a given night. I thought the skill and intensity was on display all game both teams.
Fans above all want results so anything less the team is not playing to win with intensity etc. etc.
If a team is having trouble winning in regulation trust me players are not starting a game with lack of energy and desire to win.
Scott
Before Pistol Pete issues his correction, I will do so. VGK have 48 points through 41 games. That is on pace for 96 points, rather than the 94 points stated in the article.
Still, this is a far cry from expectations. Hopefully, we can go on a nice run and boost that pace above 100 for the season. GKG!!!
JB
Let’s make it two in a row tonight. Get ‘em boys!
Pistol Pete
Cassidy looking to maximize depth. Check out the fourth line. I still have faith in Smith and Saad.
Golden Knights projected lineup
Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Mark Stone
Brandon Saad — Mitch Marner — Reilly Smith
Brett Howden — Tomas Hertl — Keegan Kolesar
Pavel Dorofeyev — Colton Sissons — Braeden Bowman
Noah Hanifin — Zach Whitecloud
Jeremy Lauzon — Kaedan Korczak
Ben Hutton — Jaycob Megna
Carter Hart
Akira Schmid
Scratched: Cole Reinhardt, Alexander Holtz
Injured: Adin Hill (lower body), William Karlsson (lower body), Shea Theodore (upper body), Brayden McNabb (upper body
Pistol Pete
Theo in red no contact jersey.
Hill participating in practice.
McNabb placed on IR.
Korczak tops @ +8 (significant imo) followed by Marner +7 Stone +6
Have been saying for a long time Pav needs more assists he’s moving in that direction 16G/14A and .73 pts his highest this many games in.