Vegas Golden Knights Vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Storylines
This long homestand continues for the Vegas Golden Knights as they go in search of their longest win streak of the regular season.
After mounting a miraculous comeback to stun the reigning Stanley Cup champions the St. Louis Blues on Saturday, the Vegas Golden Knights have now won four straight games for the second time this year.
They will look to achieve a new high this season when they take on the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight, who are absolutely rolling right now.
Despite missing Captain Sidney Crosby for much of the year, coupled with a plethora of injuries to other key men, the Penguins (25-12-5) are third in the Metro Division and they have been on a tear right now, despite losing their last outing to the Florida Panthers on Sunday.
It is set to be a titanic tussle between two contenders and we put together some storylines to keep an eye on throughout the game…
Storyline 1 – Return of the King?
As already mentioned, the Pittsburgh Penguins have been without Sidney Crosby for much of the year, since Nov. 9, to be exact.
He has missed 25 games since undergoing surgery to repair a core muscle injury on Nov. 14, although the Penguins have resembled the little engine that could in his absence, which is incredible considering that Crosby is still one of the best players in the National Hockey League.
However, and in what is bad news for the Golden Knights and the rest of the NHL, Crosby could make his long-awaited return tonight after making the trip to Las Vegas with his teammates.
Granted, even if Crosby does play, he’s not going to be at the peak of his powers and he will be rusty, but just his presence on the ice will no doubt fill the Penguins with confidence.
Crosby had 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in 17 games before being struck by injury, and he’ll be eager to make up for lost time should he make his much anticipated return tonight.
Storyline 2 – Looking for a first
The Vegas Golden Knights are currently on a four-game winning streak, although they haven’t won more than that so far this year.
They will be looking to change that tonight by winning five consecutive games for the first time this season, although it will be far from easy.
Pittsburgh, despite losing a host of key players to injury, are sitting third in the Metro Division, tied with the New York Islanders, and they are clearly still contenders.
It will be a tough task for the Golden Knights but they are playing at the peak of their powers right now and it is about time they go on a lengthy run.
Storyline 3 – Watch out for Malkin
After missing time because of injury earlier this year, Evgeni Malkin has been a man on a mission since his return.
That has only been cranked up a notch or two since Sidney Crosby went down, with Malkin determined to carry this team on his back.
Through 29 games, Malkin has 11 goals and 28 assists for 39 points along with a 51.4 winning percentage in the faceoff circle.
Malkin boasts the skill and the vision to be able to create a play out of nothing, and the Golden Knights will need to watch the center closely tonight.
Storyline 4 – Third line makeup
Cody Glass is now week-to-week with an upper-body injury and, as such, will leave a gaping hole on the third line.
Who will fill it?
Well, it all depends on if Jonathan Marchessault is back in the lineup, with the forward considered day-to-day.
As it stands, the Golden Knights haven’t recalled anyone from the AHL so it seems likely that Marchessault will play tonight.
If that is indeed the case, then expect Alex Tuch to slot back in on the third line with Paul Stastny and William Carrier.
Carrier has flourished on the third line in his last couple of outings, so he deserves an opportunity to keep impressing in a bigger role.
Storyline 5 – Special teams
The Vegas Golden Knights have largely been stellar on special teams this year, and they are currently ranked 9th on the power play, which is clicking at a 22.2 clip.
Their penalty kill has dipped somewhat, however, and is currently ranked 15th (81.0), which is concerning.
The Pittsburgh Penguins, on the other hand, have excelled on the penalty kill as of late, killing off power plays at a rate of 81.6
Their plethora of injuries have hindered their power play, though, which is ranked 22nd in the NHL with a disappointing clip of 17.6.
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So, special teams could play a defining role in tonight’s game, especially if it is a tightly-contested matchup between these two teams.
If the Vegas Golden Knights can execute on both the power play and on the penalty kill, then that could prove to be the difference in the contest.