We’re a month into the 2019-20 NHL regular season and November is shaping up to be a tough one for the Vegas Golden Knights.
After a mixed October, the Vegas Golden Knights will look to build some momentum this month although they face a plethora of stern tests in their path.
There are a host of mouthwatering games to look forward to in November, not least another matchup against bitter rivals the San Jose Sharks and a handful of contests against Stanley Cup contenders.
Championships aren’t lost in November – nor are they won – but we will certainly get a good idea as to the exact makeup of this Vegas Golden Knights team.
And, on that note, let’s take a look at the five most mouthwatering matchups to look forward to in the month of November…
1. November 7 at Toronto
The Maple Leafs are a Stanley Cup contender and, despite their mixed start to the year, they are a dangerous team who are loaded with talent.
They may be 8-5-3 on the year so far having failed to really set the world alight, but Toronto boasts enough firepower to take down an entire army and they can simply blow teams away.
John Tavares will be back in the lineup for this game and that should give the Leafs a spark, while Auston Matthews has been lights out through the first month and a bit of the season with 18 points (12 goals, six assists).
Mitch Marner has also been playing at an elite level with four goals and 13 assists for 17 points, while Frederik Andersen can be relied upon to get the job done between the pipes.
This should be a showdown between two teams who can really slug it out offensively, and it has all the ingredients to be a thriller.
2. November 9 at Washington
Are the Capitals still a legit Stanley Cup contender? On early evidence so far this year, you would have to 100 percent say that they are.
They have been one of the best teams in the National Hockey League through the first month of the season, and they appear to have thrown the shackles off with a more aggressive approach in the offensive zone.
And their efforts have been spearheaded by defenseman John Carlson, who is playing at an otherworldly level.
Through 17 games, Carlson has been playing at an MVP click with eight goals and 18 assists for 26 points, including eight points on the power play.
Carlson is the early favorite for the Norris Trophy and he has been the straw that stirs the drink for the Capitals so far this season.
He drives the play for Washington and his ability to pick out Alex Ovechkin in his office on the power play is uncanny.
Let’s also not forget that these two franchises share history having battled for the Stanley Cup in 2017-18, and the meeting at Capital One Arena on Nov, 9, will be the first time these teams have done battle in nearly 11 months, so there is sure to be plenty of spice around this contest.