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Vegas Golden Knights: Top 5 home games to look forward to in 2019-20

By Andrew Steele-Davis

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 21: (EDITORS NOTE: This image was shot with a fisheye lens.) Fans wave towels as they wait for the first period to start in Game Six of the Western Conference First Round between the San Jose Sharks and the Vegas Golden Knights during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena on April 21, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Sharks defeated the Golden Knights 2-1 in double overtime to even the series at 3-3. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 21: (EDITORS NOTE: This image was shot with a fisheye lens.) Fans wave towels as they wait for the first period to start in Game Six of the Western Conference First Round between the San Jose Sharks and the Vegas Golden Knights during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena on April 21, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Sharks defeated the Golden Knights 2-1 in double overtime to even the series at 3-3. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 06: The Vegas Golden Knights celebrate after defeating the Calgary Flames at T-Mobile Arena on March 6, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 06: The Vegas Golden Knights celebrate after defeating the Calgary Flames at T-Mobile Arena on March 6, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Vs Calgary Flames, Oct, 12

The big games come thick and fast for the Golden Knights in the opening month of 2019-20, with two matchups against the Sharks, a home matchup against Boston Bruins and a tilt against the Arizona Coyotes followed by a visit from the Calgary Flames.

The Flames reaped the rewards of an offseason makeover last year, finishing top of the pile in the Pacific Division and winning the Western Conference before being humbled by the Colorado Avalanche in the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs under Head Coach Bill Peters, who was with the Carolina Hurricanes prior to accepting the top job in Calgary.

There is no doubt that the Flames were the best team in both the Pacific Division and the Western Conference last year, dominance that was helped by the fact that they boast a stacked roster headlined by elite talent in the ilk of Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk, Sean Monahan and Mark Giordano.

Although championships aren’t won in October, this will be an early opportunity for the Golden Knights to state their intentions and prove that they have what it takes to reign supreme in the West and top the Pacific Division this year. Both teams pack a hell of a lot of firepower and it should be a truly thrilling and intriguing battle between the two franchises who look likely to be slugging it out for supremacy in the Western Conference in 2019-20.

LAS VEGAS, NV – FEBRUARY 14: Paul Stastny #26 of the Vegas Golden Knights faces off with John Tavares #91 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during the first period at T-Mobile Arena on February 14, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV – FEBRUARY 14: Paul Stastny #26 of the Vegas Golden Knights faces off with John Tavares #91 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during the first period at T-Mobile Arena on February 14, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Vs Toronto Maple Leafs, Nov, 19

With or without Mitch Marner the Toronto Maple Leafs are still a hugely talented and stacked team and, as such, they will be going all out to make sure 2019-20 is the year they finally end their lengthy Stanley Cup drought.

Boasting potent weapons in the caliber of John Tavares, Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Andreas Johnsson, not to mention juggernauts on the blueline in Morgan Reilly and Jake Muzzin coupled with an elite goaltender in Frederik Andersen, the Leafs are loaded all over the ice and they should be a formidable force in 2019-20.

They did trade dominant center Nazem Kadri to the Colorado Avalanche but that loss should be compensated somewhat by the fact that they bolstered their depth all over the ice after adding the likes of Tyson Barrie, Jason Spezza and Alexander Kerfoot during the offseason.

It has been a slow rebuild for the Maple Leafs but, with their key pieces and offensive weapons now in place, they should be considered a contender heading into this year and their visit to T-Mobile Arena in November will pose the Golden Knights with a tough early test as they pit their wits against one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

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