Vegas Golden Knights: Three keys to taking down the Coyotes

The Vegas Golden Knights are back home and they will be looking to prove that they didn’t overindulge on Thanksgiving when they play host to the Arizona Coyotes today.

After beating the Nashville Predators in thrilling fashion on Wednesday to snap a three-game losing streak, the Vegas Golden Knights will be hoping to build on that momentum on home ice.

It will be tough, however. The Coyotes are 15-8-3 on the year and 6-3-1 in their last ten outings, while they sit second in the Pacific Division.

So today’s matchup is a huge game for both teams as the Golden Knights look to gain some ground in the Pacific, while the Coyotes are chasing the Oilers for the lead in the division.

Let’s go over some keys to the game…

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – NOVEMBER 27: Darcy Kuemper #35 of the Arizona Coyotes gets ready to make a save against the Anaheim Ducks at Gila River Arena on November 27, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/NHLI via Getty Images)

1. Get pucks to the net

The Arizona Coyotes owe their success to strong goaltending and a blueline that just gets the job done.

Starter Darcy Kuemper is 10-6-1 this year with a 2.03 Goals Against Average and a .932 Save Percentage, while they rank 1st in the NHL in Goals Against Per Game (2.31).

So, as a result, the Golden Knights are going to have to generate plenty of traffic on net while making sure they make the most of their chances.

If they can get an early goal and go ahead then that will be key, but if they fall behind early then they will face a tough road back against this elite defensive team.

NASHVILLE, TN – NOVEMBER 27: Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore (27) defends against Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg (9) as defenseman Ryan Ellis (4) scores on Vegas Golden Knights goalie Malcolm Subban (30) during the NHL game between the Nashville Predators and Vegas Golden Knights, held on November 27, 2019, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

2. Protect the goalie

Arizona is not known for their offensive prowess, even with Phil Kessel in the lineup, because they are averaging just 2.73 Goals For Per Game, and their power play is ranked 13th in the NHL.

However, the Golden Knights have been guilty of not playing hard in-front of Malcolm Subban this year, who will make his third straight start tonight.

That was evident when these teams did battle in October as Subban was left out to dry before leaving the game with an injury, and that can’t be the case tonight.

Subban came up big against the Nashville Predators on Wednesday, but he’s going to need help tonight if the Golden Knights are going to get the W.

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – OCTOBER 10: Barrett Hayton #29 of the Arizona Coyotes skates with the puck ahead of William Karlsson #71 of the Vegas Golden Knights during the third period of the NHL game at Gila River Arena on October 10, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Golden Knights 4-1. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

3. Litmus test

After claiming a big win over the Nashville Predators on Wednesday, attention now turns to a huge Pacific Divisional matchup.

The Arizona Coyotes are rolling right now and are just behind the Edmonton Oilers in the Pacific Division, and they could close the gap on the division leaders with a win today.

But the Golden Knights need this one badly, too, and if they were to come out on top they could gain ground on the top two teams in the Pacific.

So we will see this afternoon just where the Vegas Golden Knights are and what we should expect from them for the rest of the year.