Vegas Golden Knights: Three keys to heaping more misery on the Leafs

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<> at Scotiabank Arena on November 7, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. /

It is a big one for the Vegas Golden Knights tonight as they matchup against a desperate Toronto Maple Leafs team at T-Mobile Arena (7:00 p.m. PT).

After snapping their five game losing streak in style by smoking the Calgary Flames on Sunday, the Vegas Golden Knights will now look to build some momentum as they continue this four-game homestand.

But they come up against a Maple Leafs team who are in dire straits having lost five straight, being outscored 23-13 in that span.

In-fact, they haven’t won since beating the Golden Knights in Overtime on Nov, 7, and Head Coach Mike Babcock is now attracting a lot of heat.

So, it goes without saying that they will be a real desperate team coming into tonight’s game and, let’s face it, they still boast a plethora of talent.

And, on that note, let’s delve into the three keys to the game for the Vegas Golden Knights heaping more misery on the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight…

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 17: The Vegas Golden Knights celebrate after defeating the Calgary Flames at T-Mobile Arena on November 17, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images) /

1. Come Out Firing

As already mentioned, the Toronto Maple Leafs are in a slump right now and, as is par for the course given the market they are in, the walls are starting to close in on that franchise.

So, while this team may be extra motivated to get the win tonight, there will also be a plethora of pressure on their shoulders.

And that should play right into the hands of the Golden Knights.

Because, if they can repeat what they did against the Calgary Flames on Sunday by coming out fast and hard and putting the Leafs on the backfoot from the first drop of the puck, then the game will be there for the taking for Vegas.

Getting an early goal, playing hard and not giving Toronto a minute to breathe could result in an implosion from the Leafs.

After breaking out of their slump on Sunday and with all the pressure on the Maple Leafs, the pressure is off the Vegas Golden Knights and that should give them a major advantage.

TORONTO, ON – NOVEMBER 15: Toronto Maple Leafs Center Auston Matthews (34) skates with the puck during the NHL regular season game between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs on November 15, 2019, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON, Canada. (Photo by Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

2. Shut Down Toronto’s Big Guns

This sounds fairly obvious but as we saw in the Overtime loss to the Maple Leafs on Nov, 7, this Toronto team boasts a lot of offensive firepower.

Auston Matthews, who scored against the Knights earlier this month, leads the Leafs in points with 27 (14 goals, 13 assists), while John Tavares can come up clutch in big moments as he did against Vegas in Overtime.

William Nylander is also having a strong year with eight goals and nine assists for 17 points, while Morgan Rielly can drive play from the point.

And then you have the likes of Kasperi Kapanen, Andreas Johnsson and Ilya Mikheyev who can all chip in with secondary scoring.

TORONTO, ON – NOVEMBER 15: John Tavares #91 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against Matt Grzelcyk #48 of the Boston Bruins during the third period at the Scotiabank Arena on November 15, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) /

But, if the Vegas Golden Knights are going to come out on top tonight, then they are going to have to put the shackles on Toronto’s big hitters.

Matthews and Tavares can throw a team on their back and change a game on their own, so they will need to be shut out of the game tonight.

Otherwise, if they are allowed to do what they did in the last contest between these two franchises, then the Leafs will snap their losing streak.

TORONTO, ON – NOVEMBER 15: Frederik Andersen #31 of the Toronto Maple Leafs is pictured during the second period against the Boston Bruins at the Scotiabank Arena on November 15, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) /

3. Get Pucks On Net

Frederik Andersen is expected to get the start in net tonight and the 30-year-old is 9-4-3 this year with a 2.74 Goals Against Average and a .912 Save Percentage.

Not bad at all.

However, the same can’t be said for the Maple Leafs defence which has, quite frankly, stunk the place out so far this season.

Going into tonight’s game, the Toronto Maple Leafs are ranked 23rd in the NHL in Goals Against Per Game (3.41), and they have allowed 23 goals in the last five games alone.

Their blueline is like a sieve and Andersen can be exposed if he’s overworked, which he has been on a plethora of occasions this year.

Tyson Barrie, a summer acquisition from the Colorado Avalanche, has really failed to settle in Toronto and he is the main weak leak on that defense.

So, as a result, the Vegas Golden Knights need to get pucks on net tonight and generate traffic in front of the net.

They have to get to the dirty areas and crash the slot, taking full advantage of one of the worst blue lines in the National Hockey League.

dark. Next. Vegas Golden Knights vs. Leafs: Pregame Info

William Karlsson and Max Pacioretty are both clicking right now, while Mark Stone and Paul Stastny broke out of their respective scoring slumps on Sunday, so the Knights certainly have the offensive firepower to do to Toronto what they did to Calgary on Sunday.

If they can get pucks to the net and get them past Andersen, then this could be another successful night for the Golden Knights.

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