Tonight, we have a rare occurance at T-Mobile Arena. It’s just the 9th time it will have ever happened, the first time since May 10th, and just the third time since the inaugural season.
The Golden Knights are underdogs at home at the William Hill Sports Book. Taking on the NHL leader in points percentage, the Carolina Hurricanes, the Golden Knights will be without Jack Eichel, Max Pacioretty, Jonathan Marchessault, William Karlsson, William Carrier, Nolan Patrick, Alec Martinez, and Zach Whitecloud (and maybe Mattias Janmark).
The last time Vegas were a home dog was the infamous 15 skater game which decided the 2020-21 Presidents’ Trophy. On that night, the Golden Knights were without five staters, but due to the salary cap were unable to replace players. This time around, VGK have replacements, but they are names like Jonas Rondbjerg, Paul Cotter, Michael Amadio, and Jake Leschyshyn.
Vegas played Colorado tough on May 10th, 2021, but eventually conceded late to take their very first loss in franchise history as a home underdog.
Prior to that game, the Golden Knights had been home underdogs eight times and were undefeated in them.
The most recent win as a home dog was on February 20th, 2020 when the Golden Knights were +100 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Vegas won that one 5-3 in a thriller. Alec Martinez scored a goal and added an assist in his VGK debut, Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty both scored, and the Golden Knights put a halt to Tampa Bay’s 11-game win streak.
Before that one, the Golden Knights had gone 793 days between games as home underdogs. They were favored in 109 consecutive home games.
However, both the Tampa Bay game and the Colorado game, Vegas came in as the slightest of favorites, just +100. Tonight, they are +130 against Carolina.
This is the first time since October 24th, 2017 that the Golden Knights have been greater than +120 underdogs at T-Mobile Arena. That is 1,488 days ago and 149 games ago!
VGK were installed as underdogs in five of their first seven home games and then added a two more as the season progressed.
If you’ve have bet $100 on the Golden Knights every time they were underdogs, you’d be up a solid $865. But, had you rolled the bets over, going all in every time, you’d have made $27,117. If you then bet that the next time they were underdogs (against TBL on 2/20/20), you’d be up to $54,434.
Then, of course, you’d have lost it all when they lost to Colorado.
Nonetheless, tonight is quite the rarity with the Golden Knights not just underdogs, but fairly significant underdogs, the third largest they’ve ever been at T-Mobile Arena.
**William Hill is the official betting sponsor of SinBin.vegas.**
Daryl
I wouldn’t be surprised if VGK is the underdog in the majority of their games until more starters return
TS
Took my first thought, daryl!
Pistol Pete
Poignant rundown Ken. Amazing too…a remarkable expansion team!
Pistol Pete
Poignant…positive connotation of course!
Arnold Rothstein
oh boy
oh boy
oh boy
boy o boy
the boys in back room are really working the phones !!
AR
knights fan in minny
the squad will have to be on there a game tonight the canes are pretty darn good freddie anderson the keeper is having a good year covid hitting the nhl hard
Tim
For better or worse this is the hand we were dealt so far we’ve over come but is our luck about to run out? The good news is a lot of younger guys are getting experience that alone is a plus. The Misfit Line is down to one so who plays with reilly Smith will be interesting. I’m glad to see Paul Cotter back up hope he plays tonight. Hopefully Lehner doesn’t go into Covid shutdown at least if he plays well we have a punchers chance.
Blitz
The canes are definitely legit. I think even if we were full strength it would be a dog fight. Probably 50/50 or slightly better for home ice. Gain Stone, lose another misfit. My thought is just enjoy the opportunity watching the hsk call ups, and hope the boys can, at the very least, make a game out of it. If they win, the sweeter it will be.
Plus I look forward to watching teams we don’t play often.
Pistol Pete
Well said!
Henderson One
To be expected. We are the Misfits II
THE hockey GOD
more like a MASH unit
THE hockey GOD
M$A$S$H
or wait it’s
M*A*S*H*
Blitz
I have no idea what the lines look like tonight. Just writing stuff down and moving it around for fun. Below is my guess. Who takes marchy spot is the real question. I had Janmark on L2, but I think Baertschi is a better scorer so put him up top. That is risky, because he is new to VGK other than preseason. Most likely PDB puts Janmark or Kolesar in the L2 spot, because of the familiarity and defensive responsibility. This lineup is not giving me confidence, but hell, drop the puck, give me a beer, and let’s watch some hockey.
———–
Stone – Steph – Dadinov
Smith – Roy – Baertschi
Janmark – Amadio/Howden – Kolesar
Rondbjerg – Leschyshyn – Cotter
Scratch:
Amadio/Howden
———-
Also I have no mind when it comes to Amadio/Howden. Aren’t they the same guy? LOL I really just don’t know how to judge the two or who will be in. Heck, maybe I am totally off with the scratch altogether and its one of the HSK guys?
TS
HILARIOUS!! …and, sad but TRUE!!