Every team will have a moment during any given season that can be looked upon as defining. The Vegas Golden Knights might have had their defining moment on Wednesday night.
After a less than stellar start to the 2019-20 regular season and riding a three-game losing streak, the Vegas Golden Knights went into Nashville knowing they could ill-afford a loss to the Predators.
They certainly played with the right kind of urgency after taking a two-goal lead, but three unanswered goals from the equally struggling Predators flipped the game on its head and there seemed to be no light at the end of the tunnel.
"“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”– Martin Luther King, Jr."
However, when the going gets tough the tough gets going as the old saying goes, and that proved to be the case for the Golden Knights.
Max Pacioretty, who earned his reputation as “Captain Clutch” during his time in Montreal with the Canadiens, came up big with the pressure really on as he kept his cool to pot the buzzer beater.
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It was a stunning moment and it proved the heart that exists in that Vegas locker room, with the players refusing to give up despite being beat up on for much of the second and third periods.
And the real character of this team was on full display in overtime where they restricted the Predators to not a single shot, instead dominating puck possession before delivering the final knockout blow.
It was fantastic.
Nate Schmidt used his stick to break up a Nashville play in the Vegas zone, before jumping on his bike and charging up the ice.
The defenseman had the poise to remain patient before delivering the feed over to Paul Stastny at the perfect moment, and the forward put the puck past Juuse Saros to seal the deal for the Golden Knights.
There was pure joy on the Vegas bench and the ecstasy, coupled with relief, was evident in the post game celebrations.
This victory meant a lot for that group of players and it was easy to understand.
They had slumped badly in November, going 3-6-3 prior to Wednesday, including 1-4-1 on the road and there appeared to be no end to their struggles.
Their top six had hit a road bump, the defense were playing sloppy hockey and, more worryingly, there was a lack of hustle and effort at times.
All the pressure was starting to pile on and some of us, including yours truly, began to wonder if they were really as good as we thought they were.
And, granted, this is just one game and there is a hell of a long road ahead but you can’t put a price on this sort of win.
It meant a lot to the team and it probably erased some of their doubts during what has been a tough stretch.
Wins like that can help boost morale and build chemistry, and it can also help to build some real momentum.
Of course, the proof will be in the Thanksgiving pudding as the Golden Knights return home to matchup against the impressive Arizona Coyotes today, who are looking like contenders.
It would be a positive if Vegas could build off the energy from that stunning win in Nashville and claim a huge victory against a divisional rival.
Plus, the Knights had a similar start last year before really clicking into gear after Thanksgiving, so now would be the perfect time to repeat history.
And, if the Vegas Golden Knights do now turn on the heat and start clicking on their way to carving out a sustained run, then we will all be looking at that gusty win in Nashville as the turning point in their season.