It’s December and once again the Golden Knights are red hot. They’re coming home from a four-game road trip with eight points in hand, wins in eight of the last nine, and the top spot in the Pacific Divison.
Here’s the crazy part… they still aren’t playing close to as well as they can, and they know it.
It was a big road trip. We got some lucky bounces. We didn’t necessarily play our best games the past few games, but tonight I thought we played pretty well. It was probably tonight and that game in Boston that were our best two games of the trip. -Jonathan Marchessault
The Golden Knights used 3rd period comebacks to rescue both games against the teams from New York and then won each game in shootout. They struggled in the 2nd period in each of the games, fighting turnover problems which led to much less puck possession than they prefer.
However, the resilience of this group continues to shine through.
We just stuck with it, and that’s the way the Golden Knights play. We’re a resilient team, we’re never satisfied and we won’t quit in any game and we’re trying to stay in the fight always. -Marchessault
No matter what it looks like, and it sure looked bad there late in the 3rd with the Golden Knights conceding, getting it called back on a challenge, and then conceding again, there’s never a hole too deep to climb out of.
I think our game was starting to come around prior to the trip. I like how we were playing, we were starting to get healthy. I don’t think anyone ever predicts you can sweep a four-game road trip, especially through these four cities. It doesn’t just happen like that though, I think you build into it and I think our game was starting to trend in the right direction. -Pete DeBoer
The next step in the building process is to eliminate the need for lucky bounces, 3rd period comebacks, and shootouts to beat teams like the Islanders. Clearly, the Golden Knights are one of the elite teams in the NHL, no one is debating that, but the goal for this team isn’t to be one of the best, it’s to be the best.
Obviously, it’s not going to happen every night. No one expects this team, or any team, to win every time they step on the ice, but their willingness to strive for even more is encouraging.
How many teams sweep a four-game road trip and have their leading goal scorer talking about lucky bounces? How many teams win eight of nine and have their coach talking about building and “starting” to trend in the right direction?
This should be music to the ears of Vegas fans. The Golden Knights are winning regularly and they are still not satisfied. They want to dominate every time out and they know they are good enough to do it. Until they get there, it won’t be enough.
That’s the mark of a team with a championship mentality. This version of the Golden Knights has it.
hdbiker7851
Ken – reading your article leads me to believe your finally on board regarding just how important a winning mental is. They didn’t have it last year in the play offs and it makes up for a multitude of issues. The original first year team had it as they had something to prove all being cast-offs. The challenge is to maintain that kind of thinking in the long run.
arnold rothstein
Tuesday game with TBL should be a lock as TBL has been sitting and waiting, rested. Let’s see what the odds gods give us.
Blitz
TB +115
VGK -135
That’s what I have in OR any way.
Arnold Rothstein
ok, working the phones on this one. I think it is going to be a lock and team arnold
will remain winners for the new season.
dang, just gave me the joojoo jinx.
Need to go see the Docta now to get me good mojo back.
Galdom
What?
Blitz
He’s a Creole Bookie, I guess.
Arnold Rothstein
wach gotta watcha out for do voodoo
mon
Arnold Rothstein
all systems go
stat heavily favors visiting team, not this >>>
Logan Thompson is in the ice today, along with Laurent Brossoit.
No Robin Lehner
Walt
Rumor is the league will pause Dec 22 – 26, but the games scheduled for the 21st will be played. The pause is due to the following: Runny nose, sore throat, night sweats, cough….AKA The Common Cold…..mostly among the vaccinated.
THE hockey GOD
the sabres game was PPD., but dallas stars games was not
for some reason.
J
Boom!! WAKE UP PEOPLE AND NHL!!
knights fan in minny
give a couple extra days off to heal some bumps and bruises
Blitz
Its a trade off. The wu-flu will go down, but STD cases will go up.
Richie-Rich
I have to admit myself that my dire predictions about the state of this goal tending are at least on hold right now. The Walrus has been playing much better than I anticipated the past 2 weeks after a very shaky start to this season. That doesn’t mean that I am still not concerned about the goal tending. I am. This article points out clearly that the lack of talent in goal has to be compensated for by scoring more goals and that is exactly what the VGK has been doing.
Staying healthy and continuing to develop the power play are going to be two major keys come playoff time.
Kudos to the VGK for their point production on the road and their obvious improvements on the PP.
THE hockey GOD
walrus likely out , injured, for tonight’s game. Only thing I saw , concerning was his soccer head butting of puck hitting him in mask. Or maybe he was hurt during brawl in Rangers game. Or was it that the Devils game, Devils game.
knights fan in minny
cancel it tonight want to see the boys at full strength against the bolts
VLAD
Krebs… they need that POS Krebs that everyone here thought he was the next one