The Golden Knights have gobbled up 31 points in 23 games en route to a spot atop the Pacific Division standings on Thanksgiving.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with a 14-6-3 record to start a season and there’s certainly no one in Golden Knights land complaining about it. However, the record is not exactly indicative of how strong Vegas is against the rest of the best teams in the NHL.
Through 23 games, the Golden Knights have beaten exactly one team with a positive goal differential on the season (they lost to that same team 6-1 about a week later). The overall record of the teams VGK have defeated in their 14 wins is 140-140-35 and 10 of the 14 wins have come against teams with a points percentage of .500 or worse.
VGK Records This Season
vs teams currently in playoff position: 3-6-2
vs teams with a positive goal differential: 1-6-1
vs teams with a .501 or better points percentage: 4-6-2
vs teams that have scored more than the league average (68 goals): 4-5-2
vs teams that have allowed fewer than the league average (68 goals): 4-6-1
vs teams with more than 25 standings points: 3-5-2
vs teams not in playoff position: 11-0-1
vs teams with a negative goal differential: 13-0-2
vs teams with a .500 or worse points percentage: 10-0-1
vs teams that have scored fewer than the league average (68 goals): 10-1-1
vs teams that have allowed more than the league average (68 goals): 10-0-2
vs teams with fewer than 25 standings points: 11-1-1
The easiest way to illustrate who VGK’s wins vs. losses is to look at overall goal differential. In Vegas’ 14 wins, their opponents have a combined -114 goal differential in 140 total games played. In the games they’ve lost in regulation, their opponents have a whopping +119 in just 82 games. Finally, the overtime losses are against teams with a combined -7 GD in 37 games.
Most of the losses have come against Eastern Conference opponents however. Vegas opened the season with wins against Colorado, Los Angeles, and Calgary before they dropped one to LA and the recent shootout loss to the Avalanche. So, their record against playoff teams in the West is 3-1-1 but they’ve only played three different teams, all the wins are at home, and both losses are away.
The schedule is about to get a lot more difficult, so there’s no better time than now for the Golden Knights to buck this trend. Tonight’s matchup is with the best team in the Western Conference thus far this season, the Winnipeg Jets. Then, Vegas faces five more playoff teams in the next eight games and that does not include an away game against the Edmonton Oilers.
Winnipeg, Dallas, Minnesota, and Vancouver all have positive goal differentials on the season, which means the Golden Knights are going to have to figure it out. By Christmas, Vegas will have either figured out how to beat good teams, or their position in the playoff race will look a lot more precarious than it does right now.
Dean
I’ve been saying this all year that goal tending is our albatross. We can outcome crappy teams but when your save percentage is almost always below 90%, good teams will score 6 when you put up 4. If we don’t address the problem in the net before the trade deadline, I fear a first round exit in the playoffs.
JB
Both goalies have played outstanding in their last games. Do you even watch the games? Anyway I think we will be fine in goal. Let’s see tonight, heh!
Kevin C
Not letting the goalies off the hook, but the defense has to quit giving up easy turnover that turn into rushes going the other way, and also maintain the blocked shots. The loss in Toronto (3-0) was a ton of that…they got out blocked and way too many turnovers.
Also, the goals on offense have started to dry up so the games are closer. This team is not going to sustainably win game 5-1 … everything will be 4-3 and 3-2 (aside from the stay EN at the end).
Emmanuel
Its overall team defense thats faltered.
Larry
Until I listened to the podcast the other night, I didn’t realize how weak a schedule we had played thus far….however 2 points or 1 point is never easy to achieve and after last year losing to the lesser teams during the year led to an 8th place finish so let’s take it as it comes… obviously the games will get tougher as the season progresses but if we can EVER return to health VGK will be in the thick of things in the battle for Western Conference supremacy!
David
We just beat the #1 team in NHL !