Golden Knights Continue To Be “Comfortable” When Falling Behind Early

Mike Tyson used to say “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” This year’s Golden Knights have it backward. They can’t seem to find their plan until they’ve been punched in the mouth.

On Saturday night, for the 5th consecutive game, the Golden Knights allowed the first goal in the 1st period. However, they scored the next goal in four of the five, ultimately winning all four. Those four wins bring VGK’s total to 12 wins this season when they’ve given up the game’s first goal, the most by any team in the NHL.

It feels like what we’re not doing is executing well enough coming out of our own end. We spend a little bit of extra time or we ice a puck. What snaps us out of it is that the other team scores and we’ve got to get going unless we want to chase it even more. -Cassidy

The Golden Knights have allowed the first goal in 19 of their 33 games this season. That’s the 5th highest rate of any team in the league. However, they’ve gone on to win 12 of the 19 posting a points percentage of .632 which is 2nd best behind only Washington.

We’re a pretty old team. Lots of guys who have been around with plenty of experience. We’re never too high or never too low. There’s certainly no panic on our bench when we give up the first one. It’s not that we like doing that but we know we can clean stuff up and find a way back into the game. -Nic Hague

Giving up the first goal in an NHL game is extremely costly for most teams. This season, teams win just 37% of the time when they concede first. The average points percentage when going down 1-0 is .410, or a 67-point season-long pace.

It’s good when your team doesn’t panic and has composure when you are down a goal, especially when you are at home, so you are not forcing things and digging yourself a deeper hole. -Cassidy

That being said, Cassidy and the Golden Knights are well aware that even though it hasn’t been costing them, improvement is necessary.

Well we’re certainly comfortable being down 1-0, it tells me that, but I’m certainly less comfortable with it. It’s something we’re trying to address. Our guys know we’re not starting on time and playing our best hockey early on. It’s not like they are fighting you on it. The problem is being recognized, it’s just taking a little bit longer than we’d like to get through it. Hopefully we shorten that span to the point where we’ve got it right. -Cassidy

Maybe the best news for Vegas is that this isn’t a new phenomenon. En route to winning the Stanley Cup in 2023, the Golden Knights went behind in 12 of their 22 playoff games. They came back to win 8 of them including Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Playing from in front would obviously be better, but having the confidence to dig out of a hole quickly is one that should suit the Golden Knights well for the rest of the regular season and even more so when we reach the games that matter.