After a near-perfect road trip the Vegas Golden Knights are back on home ice today as they take on the New York Rangers in a quick rematch at T-Mobile Arena.
Beating both the Rangers and the New Jersey Devils before losing to the New York Islanders in overtime, the Vegas Golden Knights took an impressive five points from a possible six on their three-game swing on the east coast.
And tonight they will go up against the Rangers again after beating the Blueshirts 4-1 at Madison Square Garden on Monday.
The Knights dominated that game and were in complete control from the first drop of the puck, with Alex Tuch scoring twice in the opening few minutes.
The Rangers are in the final phase of their rebuild and are flirting with a wild card spot this season, so today’s game is a big one for them.
Here are some storylines to look out for ahead of the 4:00 p.m. faceoff…
Storyline 1 – Revenge on the cards?
As already mentioned, the Vegas Golden Knights absolutely dismantled the New York Rangers at MSG on Monday, never taking their foot off the throat of their opponent after scoring twice in the opening few minutes of the contest.
As a result, the Blueshirts are going to be out for revenge in what is the first game of a four-game road trip for the Original Six franchise.
The Rangers boast plenty of talent and you can bet that they will put up much more of a fight as they look to get their road trip off to a positive start.
For the Golden Knights, it will be about riding their momentum and again getting off to a good start and not taking their foot off the gas.
Storyline 2 – Return of the Fleury?
As we all know, Marc-Andre Fleury has been away from the team on personal leave following the sad passing of his father.
He returned on Thursday to backup Malcolm Subban against the New York Islanders, but could get the start in net tonight.
It would be Fleury’s first taste of action since Nov. 23 and it is no secret that the Knights’ chances of winning are greatly improved with Fleury in net.
It would be tough to take Malcolm Subban out given how impressive he has been over the last six games, but tonight seems the right time to drop Fleury back in.
Storyline 3 – Improving defense vs. Panarin
After some early season struggles, the Golden Knights blueline has settled down as of late and they have only allowed eight goals in the last four games.
The defensive pairings, namely Nic Hague and Shea Theodore, have really clicked and the defense as a whole has found its game.
However, they will have their work cut today when they go up against one of the premier talents in the NHL in Artemi Panarin.
Since being signed for huge money in free agency, Panarin has absolutely thrived in The Big Apple and he leads the Rangers in points with 34 (13 goals, 21 assists).
He’s a legitimate game-changer and has the ability to unlock a game with a single pass or piece of skill.
As a result, the Vegas blueline will need to carry on their recent performances in order to put the shackles on Panarin and stop this Rangers defense from causing some damage.
Storyline 4 – Closer look at DeAngelo
I’ve mentioned this before and I’m currently working on a story, but Tony DeAngelo would be perfect for the Golden Knights.
He’s a right-shot, puck-moving defenseman and, with an average annual value of $925,000, he would be affordable for the Knights.
DeAngelo has finally put it all together and he’s been sensational for the Rangers this season, tallying seven goals and 13 assists for 20 points, with six of those coming on the power play.
He would help greatly with the Knights’ transition game, their puck possession game and he could also man the power play.
Vegas fans will see first hand tonight how good a player DeAngelo is and why he would be a perfect fit for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Storyline 5 – Men against boys
The Vegas Golden Knights boast an experienced, physical roster that can play the game in many different ways.
They play in your face hockey and they have a fourth line that dish out hits like they are going out of business.
The Rangers, on the other hand, have one of the youngest rosters in the NHL and their team is packed to the brim with skill.
But, apart from Brendan Lemieux, the Blueshirts lack players that can stand up to the physical nature of the game and really give it back.
As a result, the Golden Knights have a clear path to win tonight and that is to use their superior size and experience to their advantage.