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Vegas Golden Knights: Three keys to clipping the Jets

By Andrew Steele-Davis |
REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN - OCTOBER 26: Blake Wheeler #26 of the Winnipeg Jets and his teammates stand for the singing of the Canadian National Anthem prior to the 2019 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic between the Calgary Flames and the Winnipeg Jets at Mosaic Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Regina, Canada. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)
REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN - OCTOBER 26: Blake Wheeler #26 of the Winnipeg Jets and his teammates stand for the singing of the Canadian National Anthem prior to the 2019 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic between the Calgary Flames and the Winnipeg Jets at Mosaic Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Regina, Canada. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)

Finishing this four-game homestand on a high will be the main mission for the Vegas Golden Knights as they get ready to host the Winnipeg Jets at T-Mobile Arena tonight (7:00 p.m. PT).

It has been a mix stretch of games on home ice for the Vegas Golden Knights who opened the homestand with an ugly loss to the Colorado Avalanche, before beating the Anaheim Ducks and then losing to the Montreal Canadiens in Overtime.

Focus will now switch to the 7-7-0 Jets tonight, who are coming into the second game of a back-to-back after beating the San Jose Sharks last night.

They are loaded on firepower and can boast a plethora of offensive stars, while they have an elite goaltender in Connor Hellebuyck.

However, their biggest weakness so far this year has been their blueline which has been completely ravaged since the off-season.

After losing the likes of Jacob Trouba, Ben Chiarot and Tyler Myers during the summer, the Jets are also currently without elite blueliner Dustin Byfuglien in what is increasingly becoming a complicated situation.

The Jets are averaging around 3.27 Goals Against Per Game and their situation could perhaps be worse if it were not for Hellebuyck, who has a 2.57 Goals Against Average and a .927 Save Percentage through 11 games.

All the ingredients are there for a mouthwatering matchup tonight and we’ve pinpointed three keys for the Vegas Golden Knights to beat the Winnipeg Jets…

REGINA, SK – OCTOBER 26: Laurent Brossoit #30 of the Winnipeg Jets walks to the ice to start the third period against the Calgary Flames during the 2019 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic at Mosaic Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/NHLI via Getty Images)
REGINA, SK – OCTOBER 26: Laurent Brossoit #30 of the Winnipeg Jets walks to the ice to start the third period against the Calgary Flames during the 2019 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic at Mosaic Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/NHLI via Getty Images) /

1. Get Traffic to the Net

The Jets, who beat the San Jose Sharks last night, are set to go with backup goalie Laurent Brossoit tonight in the second game of their back-to-back.

Brossoit hasn’t exactly been stellar between the pipes in the games he has started this year, giving up a career-high seven goals on 28 shots against the Pittsburgh Penguins the clear lowlight.

As a result, the Vegas Golden Knights will need to address that weakness by generating traffic in-front of the net and getting as many shots on net as possible.

They have the offensive firepower to really hurt the Jets and they should be able to take advantage of a weak blueline and a backup goalie who is currently in a funk.

2. Play a Full 60 Minutes

One of the Vegas Golden Knights’ biggest bugaboos so far this year has been their ability to play a full 60 minutes, and it has hurt them on more than one occasion.

We’ve seen it all; first period slumps, second period collapses and an inability to finish the job in the third period.

You name it, the Golden Knights have found ways to give their opponents a way to win at various stages of any given game, and that has to stop if they are to be a genuine Stanley Cup contender this year.

And tonight seems a good time as any to start given that the Golden Knights are coming up against an inconsistent Jets team, who have glaring holes on their blueline.

If the Vegas Golden Knights can produce a complete team performance for the whole 60 minutes then that should be enough to secure the W.

REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN – OCTOBER 26: Blake Wheeler #26 of the Winnipeg Jets celebrates teammate Josh Morrissey’s tying goal in the third period during the 2019 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic between the Calgary Flames and the Winnipeg Jets at Mosaic Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Regina, Canada. The Jets defeated the Flames 2-1 in overtime. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)
REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN – OCTOBER 26: Blake Wheeler #26 of the Winnipeg Jets celebrates teammate Josh Morrissey’s tying goal in the third period during the 2019 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic between the Calgary Flames and the Winnipeg Jets at Mosaic Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Regina, Canada. The Jets defeated the Flames 2-1 in overtime. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images) /

3. Win the Special Teams battle

The Vegas Golden Knights have generally been very good when it comes to Special Teams this season.

They have been clinical on the power play and their penalty kill has also been elite, ranking inside the top five in the NHL.

And whoever wins the Special Teams battle tonight will probably go on to win the game too.

The Knights will have a tough task on the penalty kill given that the Winnipeg Jets have Patrik Laine who can one-time a puck home from all over the ice, although they can generate a shorthanded chance or two with William Karlsson and Reilly Smith on the ice.

Next. Three Jets that need the shackles put on. dark

Then there is Vegas’ power play which boasts two units that can punish the opposition, and they have the weapons to really be dominant on the man advantage.

If the Vegas Golden Knights can come up tops on special teams tonight, then they will have every opportunity to improving to 9-5-2.

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